Captain Marvel: The Adaptation
by Brenador
Summary: A modern retelling of how Billy Batson becomes Captain Marvel, with a style and plot similar to modern superhero films.
1. Chapter 1

_Abu Simbel, Egypt, October 2001_

C.C Batson carefully lifted the lid of the ancient sarcophagus, as his wife Marilyn watched in fascination. In all their time as archaeologists, they had never been so excited by any find. Their six-year-old daughter Mary had come with them, although she was not with them now, as she was currently being looked after by other members of the expedition. Billy, Mary's twin brother, had stayed in America because he was recovering from an illness. Normally, the Batsons would not have wanted to go at this time, and travel to the Middle East was currently difficult, but Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, their employer, had been quite insistent.

Inside the sarcophagus was a mummy, wrapped in white linen and decorated with jewels. Placed on top of the mummy's chest was a golden scarab token, which seemed to shimmer and glow with unnatural power.

"Teth-Adam" Marilyn whispered in a tone of awe.

"The scarab," C.C said as a puzzled frown appeared on his face. "How is it able to glow?"

"Maybe it's reflective," Marilyn speculated. "But we've found him. We found Teth-Adam, the Prince of Kahndaq."

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the sound of gunfire from outside. The Batsons jumped in surprise, and then a man who was with them in the chamber drew a semi-automatic pistol and said, "You know too much."

He pulled the trigger, and shot C.C in the chest. Marilyn screamed in horror as her husband staggered backward from the bullet impact, and C.C said in a choked voice, "Run!"

For a moment Marilyn was certain that she could not leave her husband to die, but then she heard the high-pitched, terrified screams of a little girl. As a mother, she knew what she had to do. She ran in the direction of Mary's screams, barely avoiding the first bullet that the shooter fired at her. She tried to flee from the shooter, and just before the bullet slammed into her from behind, she thought, _At least Billy is safe._

_New York City, ten years later_

The water quickly grew larger in Billy Batson's eyes and then filled his field of vision. A sense of panic raced through his mind as strong hands forced his face under the water. He struggled hopelessly against his attackers, feeling the automatic, terrified reaction of somebody who was going to drown.

Then, his head was suddenly jerked upwards, and he was free of the water. He blinked the water out of his eyes, and saw Joe and Chris, who were on the football team, and were two of Binder High School's worst bullies, standing on either side of him, still holding him in place.

"Shall we do this again?" Joe asked with sadistic enthusiasm.

Billy knew what Chris would say, as he knew that Joe and Chris never let him get away with having his head dunked in the toilet only once. With his small frame, Billy was an easy target for teenage tormentors.

"Sure," answered Chris.

The two thugs were about to dunk Billy's head in the toilet again when the door to the bathroom suddenly opened, and a strong, confident male voice said, "What's going on, guys."

"Nothing important," answered Joe as he and Chris let Billy go.

Standing in the doorway was Fred Freeman, one of the most popular students at the Binder School, an athlete who excelled at many sports, and Billy's best friend. Fred was tall, athletic, muscular, and confident, everything that Billy wished he could be. Billy had wondered how he, who seemed so weak, could be friends with someone as strong as Fred, but Fred had once said that Billy had courage that he was not aware of himself. Fred seemed to admire that Billy never begged or pleaded with his tormentors, but Billy knew that begging only made things worse when dealing with people like Joe and Chris. He never begged, because he knew that it would be useless.

The two football jocks left, and Billy followed Fred to the cafeteria. Out of all the people he knew at school, Fred was the only one who Billy truly considered to be a close friend. Most people ignored Billy or made fun of him. There were many kids who were good academically and bad socially, or vice versa, but Billy was not only an unpopular kid, he was also a terrible student, who was always tormented by his uncle Ebenezer whenever he got bad grades. He dreaded receiving his report card for the day, and decided that he would not look at it until he showed it to Ebenezer. If his grades were terrible, which they usually were, it would be so much harder to bring the report card home, and Ebenezer always insisted on seeing it as soon as he could. Billy could not delay, and could not trick Ebenezer into believing that the report card would come later. The last time Billy had tried to deceive Ebenezer about when he would receive the report card, Ebenezer had taken Billy's Xbox away for a whole month, with no reprieve.

While Billy had vague memories of a happy childhood before his parents died on their ill-fated archaeological expedition, he had known almost nothing but misery for the last ten years. He lived with his uncle Ebenezer, who cared nothing for Billy and raised him only because of Billy's father, who had been Ebenezer's brother. Ebenezer was a terrible miser, who gave Billy only the basic necessities. The only thing that seemed to matter in Billy's life, according to Ebenezer, was grades. Ebenezer cared a lot about school, and that only added to Billy's hatred of school.

The buzzer rang, and Billy went to history class. His current teacher was more interested in expressing his own political opinions and giving out essay assignments than in trying to make history interesting and understandable. Billy had always found history to be boring the way it was taught in school, except when he had a good teacher in his freshman year. He often felt guilty about falling asleep in history class, even though he often could not avoid it. His parents had loved history, and for Billy to show such disdain for it somehow seemed to be an insult to their memory.

Billy reacted with concealed dismay when the teacher gave everyone an assignment to write a seven-page paper about why America entered World War II. Of all the tasks he had to do in school, essay-writing was one of the worst. Billy had never been able to organize his words persuasively in print, and he had always hated writing essays. But he decided not to worry about it; the report card was already giving him enough anxiety.

After the history class was over, Billy and Fred caught up to each other on the way to the cafeteria, and sat down at a table with three of Fred's friends: Katie, Rachel, and Mike. Fred always had lots of friends, who tried to be nice to Billy but never fully included him. It seemed that half the girls in the school wanted to date Fred – and quite a few of them had – while Billy himself had never even found the courage to ask a girl out. Fred was cool, confident, and successful, while Billy seemed to always be weak and miserable.

When Billy sat down at the table, he and Fred were greeted cheerfully by the three other teenagers, who immediately started offering support for his tennis tournament.

"You're going to kick butt in Rochester tomorrow, Fred. We all know that." Mike said in a supportive, cheerful tone.

"Yes," Rachel chimed in. "You are the best tennis player in this school, and _you_ are going to win your tournament."

Katie nodded in agreement, and Fred thanked his three friends for their support.

"And what's been going on with you these days?" Fred asked in a smooth, friendly tone that Billy wished he could emulate.

"More rebellions in the Middle East," Katie said with an unhappy sigh. "After so many terrible wars, wouldn't people learn that there are better ways to solve their problems than violence?"

A nerdy-looking, curly-haired boy who always wore glasses approached the table, holding a Superman comic book. His name was Ian, and he was another friend of Billy's, just not a particularly close friend to him.

"Hey Billy," Ian said brightly. "I found the Superman comic you wanted to see. It's kind of rare, so please be careful with it."

"I will," Billy promised, picking up the comic book and carefully putting it in his backpack. Joe and Chris were sitting with some other football players at a nearby table, flinging rubber bands. Billy knew that they would harm the comic book if they could, and shooting rubber bands at other students did not usually get punished by the school administration, at least not here.

"So, do you like Superman, Billy?" Katie asked.

Like seemingly every good thing in Billy's life, there was a negative side to receiving this comic book. He was looking forward to reading it, and he _did _really like Superman, but comic books were considered a nerdy thing for teenage boys, and he did not want to be seen as nerdy around these 'cool' kids. But, due to Katie's encouraging and tolerant attitude, he decided to explain it. "I do. I like to imagine that I could fly like Superman, fight crime, and save people from danger."

As he said that, the importance of the comic book vanished completely from his mind as three girls approached the table. Their names were Jessica, Tamara, and Lauren. Tamara Ferguson was the only girl Billy ever had a serious crush on. He'd liked her almost as long as he'd been at the school, but he never really knew how she felt about him. She was currently dating someone else, and Fred had told Billy that Tamara probably knew he liked her. Tamara was not considered one of the prettiest girls in the school, although no one would have said she was ugly. She had brown eyes and shoulder-length black hair, and her face seemed to carry an eternally curious expression. She had some of what many people would consider to be odd interests, as she believed in some paranormal concepts, and it had been said that she was interested in everything _except_ what she was going to be tested on, but Billy did not judge by her by what she was interested in. She was not an effective student either, so she and Billy were in a remedial English class together, and the class had recently discussed and written about _Romeo and Juliet_. Now the class was moving on to the more academic material that was in the textbook they had.

Billy noticed Jessica and Lauren eyeing Fred as they always did, for it was no secret that both of them had crushes on Fred. Yet Billy was hardly aware of Lauren playfully tossing her head of blond hair and winking at Fred, because Tamara was looking straight at Billy, as if she was about to talk to _him_ in particular.

"Did you bring your copy of our textbook?" Tamara asked Billy. "I left mine at home, and we're supposed to read Chapter 6 before class today."

"I did," Billy said, very pleased that Tamara had gone to him, rather than one of the other students in their class. He pulled the textbook out of his backpack, and held it out, vaguely aware that he was holding it over a large, open cup of green-tinted soda. Tamara was reaching for the book when Billy was terribly started by a sudden, stinging pain on his cheek. He dropped the book involuntarily, and it hit the soda, spilling green liquid everywhere. The soda soaked into the pages, and flowed all over the table. Billy quickly lifted the book, but it was clearly ruined and soggy. Then he picked up a rubber band that had landed on his knee, and felt an overwhelming surge of anger when he saw Joe and the other football players laughing discreetly.

"I'm sorry," Billy said desperately. "I'm very sorry about dropping the book." He felt horribly embarrassed about having this happen the one time that Tamara came to him for help, and he wanted to explain what the bullies had done, but he was afraid that it would sound like a made-up excuse.

"It's all right," Tamara said, trying to be friendly and cheerful. "Just an accident."

"Tamara, your sleeve," Jessica said, pointing to a green blemish on Tamara's left sleeve.

Tamara took a napkin from the table and started cleaning off her sleeve, and smiled slightly at Billy, which would have pleased him had he not known that she was simply trying not to act angry at him for having spilled soda on her.

"I know someone in your class who should have a copy of the book," Lauren said to Tamara. "She's sitting right over there." She pointed to a group of girls who were clustered around a table in the cafeteria. Sometimes, Lauren seemed completely oblivious to Billy's obvious crush on Tamara, even though Billy was sure that if Tamara knew, she would have told her two best friends. But maybe Lauren was doing this to save Tamara from an awkward situation where she would have to either turn down Billy's offer of a book and potentially hurt him or use a damaged textbook. It if was Lauren's suggestion and not Tamara's, it could be easier on Billy.

Billy was disappointed, but he understood, when Tamara and her friends walked away in the direction that Lauren had indicated. While Tamara did not seem to be offended by Billy's mistake, Billy was still embarrassed about it, and unconsciously tried to avoid talking to her when they had their class together after lunch.

When Billy got his report card from the school administration just before he went home, he did not look at it, so that it would be easier for him to show it to Ebenezer. The last time he had received a bad report card, he had been terrified to show it to Ebenezer, which made the agony of it even worse.

Just as Billy had expected, Ebenezer instantly demanded to see the report card when Billy got home. Billy nervously handed it over. Ebenezer straightened his glasses and read the report card without commenting or pausing.

When Ebenezer was done, he glared at Billy angrily and exclaimed, "_Another_ D average? Since your parents died on their foolish expedition, I have given you the food from my table and paid for your ridiculously expensive textbooks. And what have you done in return, Billy? You've continued to be an irresponsible failure. I used to think that you could get into a decent college, and learn how to support yourself in the world, but what have you done? And you aren't even going to _try_ getting a job because you say the economy is too bad? Tell me _why_ I should continue spending _my_ hard-earned money on someone as worthless as you?"

Billy felt a terrible anger building up in him as he thought of how _unfair_ this was. He was frightened by Ebenezer's harsh and demeaning words, but more than that, he hated Ebenezer, who had stolen Billy's trust fund, and made Billy fight for everything of any monetary value that he needed. What made this even worse was that Ebenezer was a millionaire, but he lived like he was lower middle-class. He had so much more money than he used or needed, yet he agonized over small purchases.

"I know why you should keep spending money on me," Billy said, his anger giving him courage. "It's because this is not _your_ money. My parents left me enough money to provide for all my needs, but you took it for yourself. _You_ stole my trust fund, Ebenezer, and now you treat me like this?"

Ebenezer's face darkened, his sudden anger giving way to something worse. "That is a very serious accusation, Billy. I will not have people saying such things to me in my own home."

"Even if they're true?" Billy asked, speaking before he considered the consequences of what he was saying.

"Enough!" Ebenezer shouted, and then said in a tone that was quieter, but no less angry, he said, "Get out. Take your clothes and whatever else you can carry on your back. I made a mistake by taking you in at all, and I should have realized long ago that you are going nowhere in life. Go! Don't come back to my apartment!"

With a feeling of abject despair, Billy went to his room to gather what things he could. He took his schoolbooks, his relatively primitive cell phone, his clothes, and a few other books. He left his obsolete, refurbished Xbox behind, knowing it was too heavy for him to carry. The old Xbox was nothing compared to the Xbox 360s, Wiis, and PlayStation 3s that everyone else at school, including Fred, seemed to have, but it had meant so much to Billy when he had saved up enough money to buy the discounted console from GameStop. Video games were the one thing that he truly enjoyed and succeeded at. He still took a few of the game discs that he had for the Xbox, although he did not know what he could do with them.

Billy left the house, and wandered over to the nearest subway station, sitting despairingly on a bench, and staying there for hours as the sun set. He had often dreamed of running away from Ebenezer, but the reality of leaving was so much worse. It seemed like he had nowhere to go. Fred and his grandfather were leaving tonight to go Fred's tennis tournament in Rochester. Billy had no other relatives in the city, and no other friends who would take him in.

He knew that there was one person who _could _help him: Theo Templeton, a colleague and friend of Billy's parents, who was now a teacher at a community college. He had been with them on their last ill-fated expedition, but he had not been there when they were murdered, because they had sent him back to the nearest city to purchase supplies. Theo had always been kind to Billy, and would give him a place to stay for as long as he needed it, but Billy did not want to take advantage of him, because Theo would help Billy out of guilt for being the survivor of the expedition that killed Billy's parents, who were Theo's good friends. It felt terribly wrong to Billy to take advantage of anything related to that horrible tragedy.

Billy knew that he _should_ take a train to the Borough of Manhattan Community College, as Theo would feel even worse if he found out that Billy had been living out on the streets by himself, but Billy did not feel ready to do that. He didn't even consider going into foster care; the very idea of being processed and handed over to a couple who would take care of him because they received a check every month was frightening to Billy. He saw that as being treated like he was less than human, and the only good thing about Ebenezer was that despite his hatred, he always treated Billy as an individual, and a human being. And, Billy had heard terrible stories about the foster system from other students at Binder High School who were in foster care. He knew that some foster parents and social workers were good, but not all of them were, and he had no desire to become part of the foster care system.

He wandered off into an abandoned area of the subway, knowing that he shouldn't be going there, but not really caring. Like any native-born New Yorker, Billy was accustomed to avoiding the danger of crime, although the neighborhood he lived in was fairly safe, owing to Ebenezer's pathological fear of burglars. But right now, Billy didn't really care much if somebody tried to kill him. He had nothing, and it seemed that the only thing he was good at was playing video games, which would _not_ enable him to succeed in life. He had no idea of what he wanted to do, having only imagined the future as being composed of more misery.

When Billy saw a mysterious cloaked male figure moving deeper into the abandoned tunnels, he knew he shouldn't follow the man, and knew how dangerous it could be, but that didn't matter to him. Something looked vaguely familiar about the man, and Billy felt something unexplainable urging him forward.

Old electrical lights came on as the man drifted deeper into the tunnels. Everything seemed spooky and unsettling to Billy, but he did not turn back. The cloaked figure vanished into a narrow gap in a wall that was so heavily shadowed Billy would not have seen it otherwise. Billy followed him through, and then emerged in a cavern, which was illuminated by the light of torches that glowed much brighter than any torch logically should.

Billy was in a cave tunnel, which led to a roughly circular area, and his eyes widened in shock as he saw what was before him. An old man who had white hair and a long white beard, looking like Father Time himself, sat in a gilded throne, beneath a massive, pyramid-shaped block of stone that hung from the ceiling by a slender thread. The old man held a large blue crystal ball between his hands, and looked away from it to turn towards Billy.

Surrounding the old man were a huge variety of ancient artifacts. Some of them looked like they were Greek, Egyptian, or Mesopotamian, but the most surprising thing about them was that many of them were glowing with inexplicable light. This place seemed inherently magical, and Billy had some difficulty believing that any of this was real.

Billy's attention was drawn by a line of seven statues arranged along the left wall. They were made of red granite, and flames blazed in front of each. They depicted grotesque, vicious-looking demonic figures, and seemed to be somehow alive. Billy walked towards them, but stopped when the old man spoke.

"Be careful there, Billy Batson. The Seven Deadly Sins are not to be trifled with."

"The Seven Deadly Sins?" Billy asked. Somehow it did not seem strange that the old man knew Billy's name.

"Yes," answered the old man. "These are not mere representations, but actual demons that I captured thousands of years ago."

When a surprised expression crossed Billy's face, the old man said, "Forgive my manners. I am Shazam, and I have been watching over this city to seek out a new champion of the gods. I believe that you are the right person. Speak my name, and you shall have the power."

Billy hardly believed this, but he desperately wanted it to be true. Not expecting to work, he said, "Shazam?"

A lightning bolt passed through the ceiling and slammed into Billy, coursing through every inch of his body. Terrible pain shot through him as the lightning seemed to set him on fire.


	2. Chapter 2

Billy felt like he was on fire as the lightning coursed through him. His mind was filled with agony and terror, and he felt like he was going to die. He would have fallen over in pain, but the lightning was holding him in place, keeping him upright as he hovered an inch above the ground.

Then, the pain was over just as soon as it had started. Billy was standing in the cave, feeling somehow _different_. He felt stronger, and more confident. Everything seemed to be a little lower, and he got the absurd idea that he was actually taller now, which he initially discarded as impossible. He felt like he was heavier, yet he also felt lighter, as if his own body weight was heavier, but it was nothing to him. A strange tingling of energy raced through his nerves, probably the aftereffects of the lightning bolt. But the strangest thing about all this was that he actually felt _happy_. He could hardly remember what it felt like to be happy, without the overwhelming, crushing fear that what little happiness he could experience would soon be gone and replaced by black misery. He felt genuine cheerfulness and enthusiasm, for the first time in ten years.

"Have a look at yourself," Shazam said from his gilded throne. "There's a mirror on your right. It once belonged to the Queen of Sheba, but it should do the job well enough."

Billy looked for the mirror, and then saw it. The mirror was decorated beautifully with jewels and intricate engraving. It was elliptical in shape, contained by its ornate, rectangular frame. As Billy looked directly at it, he jumped back in shock upon seeing his own reflection. His slightly uneven black hair was now perfectly trimmed. His face had lost its adolescent appearance, and now had the mature features of a grown man, and looked shockingly like his father's. He did not look exactly like his father; there were a few differences, but this version of Billy Batson looked more like Billy's father than like Billy himself. His backpack was gone, and his regular clothes were gone, replaced by a one-piece red costume that had a yellow thunderbolt emblazoned on his chest, with a yellow sash and yellow sleeves. And, last but not least, he was at least six feet tall, as opposed to the regular Billy who was only five feet, four inches tall. He no longer looked like Billy Batson; he looked like a superhero.

"How did this happen?" Billy asked Shazam in wonder, his voices sounding deeper and more confident.

"Through me, the ancient gods have chosen you as their champion, to protect the innocent and fight against the forces of darkness. You have been granted the Wisdom of Solomon, the Strength of Hercules, the Stamina of Atlas, the Power of Zeus, the Courage of Achilles, and the Speed of Mercury. You can switch between your magical form and your normal form simply by speaking my name. These powers have been granted so you can use them to save others, and to fight evil. You are not to use them for your own personal gain, and you must keep your true identity hidden. In your unpowered form, you are as vulnerable as any ordinary human being, so it is imperative that your enemies do not find out who you are."

"So, uh, Shazam-" Billy started to say, when another lightning bolt came through the ceiling as soon as he spoke the wizard's name, turning him back into Billy Batson. This time the transformation was not painful, only frustrating.

"I can't even say Shazam-" The lightning bolt came down again, turning Billy back into his costumed and superpowered form. "Without changing?" he finished.

"Yes," answered Shazam. "If you are currently in need of your abilities, do not speak my name."

"So, uh, Mr. Wizard," Billy said, starting over. "There's something I don't understand. Why did the gods give me a superhero costume? And why do I look like my father?"

"The gods did not choose your form. You did."

"Me? How is that possible?"

"The form you have assumed is based on your ideal self-image. Your memories of your father, combined with your idea that a superhero should wear a costume caused you to create this form. Forgive me for the intrusion, but if I am correct, you have always wished that you were the fictitious hero known as Superman?"

"Yes," Billy replied.

"And that gave you the idea that you should wear a brightly colored costume if you are what you might call a "superhero." Simple, but easily recognizable and effective. But, I am sure that you have more questions, Billy."

"Yes. What _is_ this place?"

"It is the Rock of Eternity, an extradimensional space that has been my home for five thousand years. From here I have battled the forces of evil and imprisoned the Seven Deadly Sins, while watching the history of this planet unfold. If you could see the Rock of Eternity from outside, it would look like two pyramids joined together at their bases. You entered through one of four main corridors, each of which points in a different direction."

Billy noticed that there were three other entrances to the Rock of Eternity, each in a different direction from Shazam's throne. Yet he still did not understand how he had come here. "How did I get here? And who was the cloaked figure that led me here?"

"I opened a connection between the Rock of Eternity and a secluded area beneath your city, but no, I did not lead you here. As for the identity of the man who did lead you to this place, that is something you can only find out for yourself."

"And what powers do I have?" Billy asked, still afraid that he would wake up and learn that this was all a dream, but desperately wanting it to be true.

"There are many things you can do, Billy. The Wisdom of Solomon enables you to speak and understand any language, memorize and observe things far better than any ordinary human could, possess understanding beyond your chronological age, and even hypnotize the weak-minded. You are also invulnerable to nearly all physical harm, although you can still be hurt by magic. You possess incredible strength and stamina, and you do not have to eat in order to survive as long as you remain in your magical form. And," Shazam added with a twinkle in his eye, "the Speed of Mercury enables you to fly."

Then Shazam said again, "Remember, I did not give you these powers so you could succeed in life as Billy Batson. You must only use your power for the good of others, and for the world as a whole. There is much that I have left to teach you, but I think that now, the mortal world must be missing Billy Batson."

"What am I to do there?" Billy asked. "If you've keeping track of me with your magic, surely you know that I just got kicked out of my home. I don't have any place to go."

"That is not a question I should answer. Try to figure it out yourself. You do have the Wisdom of Solomon, after all."

Billy initially thought that the real world was just as baffling to him now as it had been before, but when he really thought about it, he realized that with his newfound cheerfulness, and the intelligence granted to him by the Wisdom of Solomon, he was able to decide his course of action reasonably and logically, without being tied down by misery or guilt. He decided that he should go to Theo, the only person who could help him.

"Shazam!" Billy said, attempting to change back. The lightning bolt turned him into the ordinary Billy Batson, and the backpack with his belongings felt strangely heavy on his back, after he had experienced super strength.

"You may be faced with a bit of a problem, Billy," Shazam said calmly. "The Power of Zeus enables you to travel from here to the mortal world at will, but you cannot use it in that form. However, you do not have to change again. Look to your right, and follow the wall carefully until you see a small alcove in the wall. In there, you will find a blue crystal. Touch it, and you will return to the mortal world."

Billy looked at the wall. Initially he did not see the gap that Shazam was speaking of, and he was about to give up and transform himself again when he leaned forward and saw a faint gleam of blue light. He walked towards the light, and saw the small alcove in the dark rocky wall. Just as Shazam had said, it contained a glowing blue crystal that was shaped like a two-dimensional diamond and stood upright in the floor. It was not much larger than a quarter, and was not particularly conspicuous in a room full of glowing artifacts.

"There are four of them," Shazam said, "each in a different corner of the room. If you ever need to leave the Rock of Eternity while you are in your ordinary form, they could come in quite handy."

Billy walked over to the alcove. He bent down and touched the crystal, and then he was teleported back to the underground tunnel, away from Shazam and the Rock of Eternity.

He started walking toward the subway station, knowing that he would take the train to Borough of Manhattan Community College. As he walked toward the subway station, he heard a scream, from somewhere in the abandoned area of the subway tunnels that he was in.

Knowing that somebody was in trouble, Billy decided that he would do something about it. Before, he had been unable to assist others when they were in danger. Now, he could save people, and he was ready to start.

"Shazam!"

The lightning bolt came through the ceiling, producing a rain of dust and transforming Billy into his superpowered self. He flew towards the screams, relying on instinct and the Wisdom of Solomon. His senses were much stronger than they were when he was in his ordinary form, and he had no trouble finding the source of the screams. Flying through the tunnels with the Speed of Mercury was an exhilarating and liberating experience for Billy.

When he arrived, he saw two rough-looking men mugging an old woman, who pitifully cried out for help. Billy flew towards the two muggers, and lifted them off their feet, picking up one mugger with each hand. Now it was the muggers who cried out in terror as Billy dragged them down the length of the tunnel they were in and set them down on their feet. One of the thugs tried to punch Billy, and Billy didn't even notice until the thug fell back, clutching his injured hand.

"Never hurt anyone else again," Billy told the two thugs. "If you do, I may come back and take vengeance upon you. Give back everything you stole from this woman, and get out of my sight."

Billy did not know who these men were, and had no desire to kill them if they committed another crime, but he wanted to scare them so they would give up a life of crime. He smiled as the muggers handed over a purse and some jewelry, and then ran away from him, each going in a separate direction.

Billy walked over to the old woman, gave back her stolen items, and helped her get back on her feet. "Are you all right, Ma'am?"

"I think so," the old woman replied shakily, walking away from the scene of the crime. "Are you an angel?" she asked in wonder and gratitude.

"No. I'm a human being, like you. I just happen to have extraordinary powers," Billy said, grinning involuntarily. "You shouldn't be wandering in these parts by yourself."

"You're right," the old woman said. "I'll be more careful, if that's what you want."

Billy had performed some small good deeds in his life, but never had anyone been so grateful to him as this old woman was now. It was a wonderful feeling to know that he had actually done something important, and that he was now beginning his life as a superhero.

He changed back to his own form and took the subway to Borough of Manhattan Community College, resisting the temptation to fly around New York City. He had loved flying when he had briefly experienced it, and the Courage of Achilles had made it easy and non-frightening for him, but he remembered Shazam's warnings about being responsible with his powers.

_Borough of Manhattan Community College_

The nameplate on the door read Theo A. Templeton, with the word Anthropology beneath his name. Billy patiently waited outside, and set down his heavy backpack as Theo finished a meeting with one of his students. Theo taught an evening class on Fridays, and he had office hours after the class. Billy had visited him at the college before, and was always welcome whenever Theo was free.

After a couple minutes, the student left Theo's office, and Theo said, "Billy! Don't be shy, come on in."

Billy walked into the office, carrying his backpack with him.

"Are you ok, Billy? Is something wrong?" Theo asked in a concerned tone.

"Yes," Billy said dejectedly. "Ebenezer kicked me out when I told him that he stole my trust fund."

"And you were right," Theo said. "Ebenezer did take the money that your parents left you, but he had very good lawyers and it would be difficult to get it back. For now, let's not worry about that. What's important is that you're here now, and you're safe. You can stay at my apartment for as long as you need to. I think that my students are done coming to me tonight, so we could go right now."

"Thank you," Billy said. "I'd like that."

While cars were not necessary in New York City, Billy had always enjoyed riding in Theo's 2008 Honda Civic. The miserly Ebenezer had never been able to bring himself to spend money on a car.

Billy did not have anything to say on the drive home, and Theo did not press him. While some people saw Theo as an archetype of a mild-mannered professor, Billy saw him as a good friend of his parents, a man who was strong and determined, but overwhelmed by guilt at the death of the Batsons. More than anything else, Billy saw Theo as the only adult who had been truly kind to him. Fred's grandfather always treated Billy well, but that was because Billy was Fred's friend. Theo had always been Billy's favorite adult, the one person he knew that he could talk to, someone who always tolerated his antics when he was a child and tried to understand his conflicted feelings when he was a teenager. Billy had often fantasized about running away from Ebenezer and living with Theo, and in a way, that was now a reality. However, Billy felt bad about this, because it still seemed like he was taking advantage of Theo.

When they arrived, Billy went to the guest bedroom and started organizing his things, unloading what he had brought from Ebenezer's house. A few minutes later, Theo came in, carrying some of Billy's stuff: clothes, books – and a stuffed tiger doll.

"I see you've been taking good care of Tawky Tawny," Billy said approvingly.

_It had been ten years ago. Billy was lying in a hospital bed, sick with a prolonged illness that had caused him to miss the initial two months of first grade, and his parents' expedition to Egypt. He had now completely recovered from that illness, but it had been the one thing that had stopped him from accompanying his parents on their ill-fated quest._

"_Please take really good care of Tawky Tawny," Mary had said to Billy before she and their parents had left for Egypt. "Mommy said that luggage sometimes gets lost in airports."_

"_I'll take supergood care of him," Billy promised._

"_Supergood?" Mary asked._

"_Yeah, supergood," six-year-old Billy had said._

Tawky Tawny had been Mary's favorite toy when they were little, and Billy had held on to it. Ebenezer had sold all of Mary's other toys, and Tawky Tawny was Billy's only tangible connection to his long-lost sister. He knew that his parents were dead. Their graves had been found several years ago, although nobody had discovered the identity of the bandits who had killed them. But Mary was still missing, and Billy had never given up on the hope that she would be found, despite ten years of disappointment.

Billy had kept Tawky Tawny until he was nine, when Ebenezer had threatened to sell Tawky Tawny in a fit of anger. Billy had run to Theo, and begged him to protect Tawky Tawny. The toy in itself did not matter much to Billy – its voice box didn't even work anymore – but it was infinitely precious to him because he still felt that as long as he had Tawky Tawny, his twin sister was not completely gone.

Billy placed Tawky Tawny on his nightstand, and when he went to sleep that night, he had truly pleasant dreams for the first time in months.


	3. Chapter 3

It was the early evening on Saturday, and Billy was trying to work on his history essay. He had two books open on his bed, and six tabs on his Internet browser, but he was still unable to express himself convincingly in the essay about why the United States entered World War II. The computer was an older model that still ran Windows XP, but Billy was grateful for it. It was Theo's spare computer, which he had replaced when he bought a new computer with Windows 7 last year, and Theo had set it up for Billy earlier that day.

Having his own computer was a completely new experience for Billy, who had previously been dependent on the single computer in Ebenezer's apartment, which Ebenezer was often using himself. However, it did not change Billy's ineptitude with academics, and neither did being a superhero. He wished that the Wisdom of Solomon could help him write the essay, but he didn't have it in when he was in this form, and he couldn't turn into his costumed alter ego here, as Theo still did not know what Billy was able to do.

Theo left to eat dinner with his colleagues, and Billy put a TV dinner in the microwave and ate it. As he was eating, he realized that now, he had a chance to be a superhero. It was dark outside, and he stepped out onto the fifteenth-floor balcony of Theo's apartment, and spoke the magic word.

"Shazam!"

Billy grew in size, transforming into his costumed self. He took off into the sky, flying into the city, using the Wisdom of Solomon to heighten his sensory perceptions and look for any signs of trouble. He was flying over an intersection when a drunk driver sped through the intersection, shooting straight into the path of a minivan carrying a family of four.

Billy swooped down into the intersection, and not having time to do anything else, he lifted up the drunk driver's car, carrying it up into the sky, and then gently dropping it in front of an abandoned building. The driver, a wild-looking young man in his twenties, stared at Billy in shock and terror, apparently wondering whether any of this was happening.

"Don't drink and drive," Billy said cheerfully. In case the man didn't listen, he punched one of the car's tires, which crumpled in a _whoosh_ of air.

Billy took off into the city, and flew through it for several minutes, staying out of well-lit areas so that people wouldn't see him. He didn't feel ready to show his existence to the world so openly. He followed police sirens to an apartment building in Greenwich Village, and arrived at the scene of a burglary, but left when he saw that the police had the situation under control.

The next situation Billy encountered was a woman being assaulted by three men. When Billy showed up, the three men ran away in terror, and the woman was also frightened of the strange flying man who had suddenly shown up, so Billy followed the Wisdom of Solomon and did not speak with her.

As Billy flew away from the scene, his enhanced hearing picked up the sound of something breaking, followed by a cry of terror. Billy flew towards the sounds with the Speed of Mercury, and then saw a construction worker dangling from scaffolding at the construction site of a new bank. His coworkers were frantically trying to extend ladders and ropes to save him from a three-story fall, but the scaffolding that he held onto for dear life was rapidly tearing out of its frame.

Billy swooped beneath the man just as the scaffolding broke, and caught the falling construction worker, quickly depositing him on the ground. As he flew away, the construction workers stared at him in shock, as some of them gave a ragged cheer, while others seemed to be afraid of him.

After patrolling the city some more and saving a pedestrian from a potentially fatal traffic accident, Billy started to fly home, and on the way back, he saw a man being brutally beaten by another, larger man. Billy flew over the scene, picking up the larger man and tapping his head against a wall just hard enough to knock him out.

Billy landed on the balcony, changed back into his normal form, and stepped inside ten minutes before Theo returned. Billy wanted to tell Theo the truth about what he was doing, but he was afraid that Theo would disapprove, and that was not something he was willing to risk. Despite all of his powers, he still wanted someone to care for him and accept him, and was afraid of Theo throwing him out like Ebenezer had.

At school the following Monday, Billy felt more confident and less miserable, because he was now a superhero, but he still was unhappy to be entering the school grounds.

Fred caught up to Billy outside the school early that morning, and said, "Hey, Billy! Are you going to the IMA's?"

"IMA's?" Billy asked quizzically.

"The International Music Awards next Sunday," Fred told him. "We've been talking about them for the last two months."

"I just forgot the acronym," Billy said. "But I can't go. Tickets are sold out."

"Mike knows someone who might be able to get us tickets so we can actually see the performance, but we'll probably just stand in Central Park with thousands of others and listen to the music."

"Ok, I'd like to go," Billy said.

Billy did better than he expected to on his math quiz in the first class period, although it could easily have been because solving systems of linear equations was one of the few parts of algebra that wasn't particularly difficult for him. He was retrieving a heavy astronomy textbook from his locker when someone bumped into him suddenly, and he dropped the textbook, which landed painfully on his toe. He bit back a cry of pain and supported himself against a wall, watching in anger as Joe and Chris walked away with sadistic grins on their faces.

Billy wished that he was his superpowered self, so that he could heal himself with the Stamina of Atlas and teach Joe and Chris a lesson with the Strength of Hercules. But that was not why he had his powers. His toe hurt, but it was not a serious injury and would not prevent him from walking. He painfully bent over and picked up his textbook, lowering himself into a crouch

As Billy rose to his full height, holding the textbook, a grimace of pain appeared on his face as he put his weight on his injured foot.

"Are you okay?" Tamara asked him in a concerned tone. She was standing near Billy, with Jessica and Lauren just a few feet away from her.

"I think so," Billy said a bit awkwardly, appreciating Tamara's concern for his well-being but not wanting to come off to her as weak. He tried to take his mind off the gradually receding pain, which was not difficult to do when he was talking to Tamara.

"So, what have you been up to this weekend?" Tamara asked Billy.

_I've been turning into a superhero and_ _saving people,_ Billy thought. Of course he couldn't say that here; if he did tell Tamara he certainly wouldn't do it in a crowded corridor at school. So he said, "Nothing important."

He wanted to ask Tamara what she was up to, but his mind couldn't form the right words, as he was afraid that it might sound wrong or inappropriate. _I have the power of six gods, and I can't even talk to a girl?_ Billy thought in dismay.

Luckily for him, Tamara engaged him in conversation anyway. She said, "Have you heard of Teth-Adam?"

"No. Who is he?" Billy asked, wishing that he had Solomon's knowledge with him at the time. It felt like he _should_ know who Teth-Adam was, but he had forgotten it.

"He was a prince of Kahndaq three thousand years ago, back when it was a traditional kingdom rather than the modern dictatorship that it is now," Tamara explained. "Some people said that he possessed the power of the gods, but the strange thing is that he was buried in Egypt, rather than his home country. They found his tomb, and now they'll be showing his sarcophagus-"

It all came back to Billy suddenly. He remembered the name Teth-Adam, and what it had meant. He cut Tamara off, saying, "I just remembered. My parents searched for him."

"Really?" Tamara asked, her face brightening, and then forming a more somber expression as she remembered what had happened to Billy's parents. "Was that when they-" she asked gently.

"Yes," Billy said quietly. While he frequently thought about what happened to his parents, and how much he wanted their killers to be found and brought to justice, he usually didn't think about what they had been working on. Teth-Adam was just a name, something that had only brought him misery, and something that he preferred not to think about.

"I'm so sorry," Tamara said in a tone of genuine sympathy.

"It was a long time ago," Billy said, genuinely touched by her sympathy but wanting to turn the conversation to something more positive. "What were you saying about Teth-Adam when I interrupted you? Please, tell me."

Tamara seemed slightly reluctant to continue, but Teth-Adam was something that she was genuinely interested in, and people generally loved to talk about their own interests when given a chance. Fred had always told Billy that if he wanted girls to like him, he should let them talk about their own interests and listen carefully.

Tamara said, "Teth-Adam's sarcophagus and everything from his tomb is going to be on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art a week from Wednesday. I've already bought my ticket, but nobody else at school seems to care. This is an archaeological find that proves the existence of someone who was previously considered a myth, but everyone is still more interested in the International Music Awards."

"Well, I guess that long-dead princes can't compete with the likes of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Justin Bieber," Billy said dryly.

The buzzer rang, ending their conversation. Billy noticed Lauren and Jessica, who had been deep in conversation with each other as he talked to Tamara, walking towards the art class that they had together. A well-dressed blond boy who was several inches taller than Billy walked past Billy and said to Tamara, "Shall we explore the wonders of biology?"

Billy instantly recognized the boy as Calvin, Tamara's boyfriend. While Billy knew that Tamara and Calvin were taking a biology class together, he couldn't avoid wondering if the implications to Calvin's statement may have had something to do with Tamara talking to another boy. Perhaps Calvin was jealous, and he wanted to remind Billy that Tamara was not single? Billy had never liked Calvin, even before Calvin and Tamara were dating. Calvin was a rich kid, who could have gone to a private school if his parents had been more interested in education and he had been a better student. He could be very charming, and was one of the popular kids, but he had always seemed untrustworthy and manipulative.

At lunch that day, Billy sat down with Fred, Mike, Katie, and Rachel.

"I _still_ think that kid from Syracuse should not have beaten me," Fred said in a frustrated tone. "For all I know, he could have been using performance-enhancers."

"You still did well," Katie said reassuringly. "But there are much more important things in the world than tennis tournaments. Yesterday, Amadin's thugs killed twelve protestors."

"Who's Amadin?" Billy asked.

"You need to be keeping up with current events," Katie chided him. "He's Muzzaf Amadin, the dictator of Kahndaq. He's been suppressing the Arab Spring protests just as brutally as Gadhafi in Libya or Assad in Syria. I wish that the U.N could make him step down peacefully."

Kahndaq. The name kept popping up again. A novelty to historians, it was a small nation between Egypt and Jordan that had existed in ancient times, and had maintained a separate cultural identity despite being conquered by the Persians, Romans, Arabs, Turks, and British. Kahndaq became independent after World War II, and while the people there were predominantly Islamic, they were moderate Muslims, and they tended to be surprisingly liberal, and attempted to live in a modern way, without taking sides in the nearby Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"It turns out that I couldn't get tickets to the IMA's," Mike said. "But at least we can still listen."

After school, Billy was walking to the subway station so he could get back to Theo's apartment, because Theo lived further away from the Binder School than Ebenezer did. He suddenly heard a crash and a scream. Broken glass tinkled to the sidewalk ten feet away from Billy, and a woman screamed as she dangled from a windowpane on a ninth-story window of a high-rise apartment building. Billy caught a glimpse of a man inside the apartment holding a baseball bat.

Some of the people on the street clearly wanted to help, but none of them could, and most of them seemed to be more concerned with not being directly beneath the woman if she fell. It was a domestic dispute turned violent, something the police could handle – if they were present. But there was nobody to stop the woman from falling of the windowpane. Billy knew what he had to do.

He frantically searched for a place to transform quickly without being seen, and then his eyes alighted on a red telephone booth. _Why not? Superman changed in phone booths._

Billy quickly walked into the telephone booth, unnoticed by the crowds because of the screaming, dangling woman. The phone booth was old and decrepit. It clearly had not seen much use, because just about everyone carried cell phones around constantly, making telephone booths obsolete. The phone book was missing. It had probably been stolen years ago and nobody had bothered to replace it.

Billy closed the door in the phone booth.

"Shazam!"

The lightning bolt shattered the phone booth, the debris falling all around Billy as he turned into a superhero. _That never happened to Superman._ He shot upwards, toward the screaming woman, who lost part of her grip on the windowpane, and held onto it desperately with one hand. Billy caught the woman before she fell, and carried her to the sidewalk, as people everywhere simultaneously whipped out their cell phone cameras to take pictures and videos of him. In one place, two cars collided in a minor accident when one of the drivers saw Billy flying.

After leaving the woman safely on the sidewalk, Billy shot upwards again, flying in through the window and searching for the man who had almost killed the woman. The man was walking to the door when Billy flew in, the wind of his passage rustling papers and curtains.

The man turned around and swung his baseball bat at Billy, the blow connecting with great force. The baseball bat broke into several pieces from the impact, and the man's arm wrenched back painfully. Billy easily pushed the man to the floor, as if he weighed no more than a feather. Still dragging the man with him, Billy walked over to the telephone and dialed 911.

"911 Emergency. How can I help you?" asked the female voice on the other end of the line.

"A man just attempted to kill his girlfriend or wife; I don't know what their relationship is. His name is-" Billy looked at a piece of mail, and said, "Frank Cartolli."

Billy continued, saying, "The man was injured in the struggle, and is now unconscious."

Frank opened his mouth to speak, presumably to contradict what Billy had just siad, and Billy tapped him on the forehead, knocking him out cold. Leaving Frank in the hands of the police, and trusting that doctors and paramedics would take care of Frank's victim if she needed treatment, Billy flew off and found a quiet place to say "Shazam!" and turn back into his ordinary self.


	4. Chapter 4

At school, everyone was abuzz with news of the new superhero. As he went to his classes on Tuesday morning, Billy heard multiple people talking about his superpowered exploits. In Astronomy class, the girl sitting in front of him who always texted during class was texting her friend about the superhero, which Billy observed unintentionally. The boy who typically sat next to Billy in history class was also texting about the superhero, from the brief glimpse Billy accidentally received of his phone.

The superhero buzz only increased when Billy got to the cafeteria. Fred, Mike, and Rachel were talking about it when Billy arrived at their table.

"Could this really have happened?" Rachel asked wonderingly. "Are you sure it isn't a hoax?"

"There were a lot of rumors that a superhero was active last Saturday night, but there was no proof. Now there are nine videos and thirty-three photographs of the superhero." Mike answered. "What do you think, Fred?"

"Me? I think this is awesome. We actually have a real superhero protecting our city, and we really need one since the mayor is expected to cut the police budget. But this superhero needs a name. We can't just keep calling him "the superhero." Every decent comic-book character had a superhero name." Fred answered.

Billy wanted to tell Fred who he was. He knew that Fred would accept it and be proud of Billy being a superhero, and Billy hated keeping such a major secret from his best friend, the one person who he trusted more than anyone else, even Theo. But he did not want to reveal his identity to Fred's friends, so he said, "The real world isn't a comic book, even if there is a real superhero." He had been thinking of what he wanted his name to be, but he had no idea what it should be.

"Some people did come up with names for him," Katie said as she sat down at the table. "You could try looking at the Internet."

Throughout his last two class periods, Billy continued pondering the issue of what his name should be. He realized that he should have one, but he couldn't come up with a name for himself. Remembering what Katie had said, he realized that he wouldn't have to make up a name. He just pick one that had already been invented by someone else.

When he went home that day, Billy saw Theo's copy of today's _New York Times_ sitting on the kitchen table. He saw himself on the cover, under the headline Flying Costumed Superhero Saves Woman From Fall. He scanned through the article, but did not see anything that suggested a name for him.

He went to the computer in his room, and started looking at Internet news websites. He had always loved the Internet, and enjoyed it even more because getting access to a computer had been difficult when he was living with Ebenezer. Billy never failed to be amazed by the sheer volume of information available on the Internet. It seemed like every newspaper in the country was talking about him. He saw several posts about the new superhero on his friends' Facebook walls, and observed that Internet forums, discussion boards, and chat rooms all seemed to be talking about him.

Although a part of him distantly realized that he should not be enjoying his fame so much, he could not help but be thrilled that he had affected the world so significantly. He didn't mind that nobody knew his name; it was actually better that he wasn't being hounded by reporters and fans. What really mattered was that he was actually important. Not everything about him was positive; there were people who perceived him as a dangerous super-powered vigilante, but he had changed everyone's perspective on what the world was like.

The major newspapers such as _USA Today, _the_ New York Post, _and the_ New York Daily News _focused on facts and occasionally opinions, but did not talk about what the new superhero should be called. When Billy looked at the tabloids and some of the more informal news sites, he was barraged by names for him. There were so many possible nicknames, he couldn't choose between them, and he decided to talk to Shazam about it. But he was not a superhero right now, and he couldn't remember all the names. Besides, he wanted to show Shazam some of the articles. Theo had given him a printer and told him to use as much ink and paper as he wanted, but he was still reluctant to print out the articles. However, he decided not to be held down by his past, and he printed out several of the articles, along with a list that he had typed of some other names for him.

Theo was sitting in his bedroom, peering intently through his horn-rimmed spectacles as he was hard at work grading papers. Billy made an excuse and left, with Theo not paying much attention, because he was engrossed in a student's analysis of Middle Eastern cultures. Theo was often like this when he was working. Once he started working on a goal, he was very focused on it and his attention did not stray easily.

Billy found an empty area behind a dingy restaurant after wandering for several minutes. He realized that someone might notice the lightning bolts that kept appearing near his new home, and he knew that it was important to keep his identity a secret. So he placed the printed articles next to a Dumpster that was overflowing with restaurant trash, checked to make sure that the stray cats who frequented the area were not close enough to get fried by his lightning bolt, and finally shouted "Shazam!"

This time, when Billy was transformed into a superhero, he did not fly straight up, but he picked up the printouts and stayed where he was and concentrated on using the Power of Zeus to return to the Rock of Eternity. At first he was baffled, thinking that he would be unable to do it since he had no idea how, but then the Wisdom of Solomon clarified everything for him, and he was able to transport himself to the Rock of Eternity without really thinking about how he would do it.

"Welcome back, Billy," Shazam said pleasantly, still speaking from his golden throne, the massive pyramidal stone block still hanging over his head. He was holding the same large blue crystal ball in his hands. "Are you ready to begin your education?"

"Yes," Billy said. "But first, I have something to show you. Can you come closer?"

"Theoretically, yes," Shazam answered calmly. "But it is better if I do not leave this chair unnecessarily."

"Why?"

"I fear that one day, you will understand all too well. But do not worry. This stone block has been hanging over my head since before you were born, and it is not going to fall if you come up and talk to me."

Billy reluctantly stepped towards Shazam. Even though he had the Courage of Achilles and he was almost invulnerable, he still glanced up at the stone block occasionally, afraid that it would fall on the wizard's head.

"Everyone is talking about me," Billy said. "Some people say I am a hoax, others say that I'm a threat, and there are many people who think I'm a great heroic figure. But they can't agree on what to call me. He started to show Shazam what he had printed out. "First they call me Thunderbolt. Then Red Superman. Aerobatic Angel. The Flying Rescuer. The Red Avenger. Flying Hercules. And they've also come up with some really absurd names, like the "Big Red Cheese". Who would call a superhero a piece of cheese?"

"What do _you_ want to be?" Shazam asked. "You know, you will have to speak to these people, and they will want a name. If you remain a mysterious stranger, they will be afraid of you, and human minds tend to come with convoluted excuses and theories to justify their fears. I advise that you assume one of the many names that various people have suggested for you, as the mortals will be less likely to fear you if you cooperate with their idea of what a superhero should be. Americans tend to be fascinated by superheroes, and if you can play on that, they may be less likely to be influenced by the natural human tendency to fear and mistrust someone who is more powerful than they are. Think about it, Billy. Consider which one _you_ like."

"Well, there is one," Billy said. "But it's not very descriptive."

"What is it?"

"Captain Marvel."

"I like that name too," Shazam said with a gentle smile. "How would you like to be Captain Marvel?"

"Ok," Billy said with an enthusiasm that was not really his own, but Captain Marvel's. "I'll be Captain Marvel."

"Now, are you ready to look into the Historama?" Shazam asked.

"The what?" Billy asked in confusion.

"This," Shazam said, holding out the large crystal ball. "The Historama enables you to look anywhere else in the world, except for places that it has been programmed not to look at. You can also look into the past, gaze into other dimensions, and even catch glimpses of possible futures, but you are not ready to do any of that yet."

"For now, just look into the Historama, focus on something you want to see, and then speak a command of activation to the Historama."

"Talk to the Historama?" Billy asked in surprise. "But – it's a crystal ball. Is it intelligent?"

"Not really," Shazam answered. "But it does respond to commands. Remember the first command you say to it, for while your command that activates the Historama may be in any language, the first thing you say to activate it will be what it always expects to hear when it is activated, and other commands may not work. You must concentrate while using the Historama. It will reveal whatever you want it to, but it is controlled directly by your thought. Here, try it," Shazam said, holding out the Historama. "Just think about a place that you are familiar with."

Billy carefully took the large crystal ball from Shazam, and feeling slightly foolish, he said the first thing that came into his head.

"Historama show me."

A dark image appeared on the surface of the Historama, and then completely filled Billy's vision. Everything was dark and silent. Billy had a sense of utter nothingness. He could not hear, feel, see, or smell anything. He was trapped in an endless void, and he felt a surge of terror that would have overwhelmed him if he did not have the Courage of Achilles.

Billy then remembered Shazam's instructions, and tried to focus on the Binder High School, which was the first place that came into his mind. Blurred, somewhat frightening shapes of light began to materialize in the darkness, and it took Billy a few seconds to realize that he was adjusting to the sight of an empty high school at night after having been in the well-lit cave of the Rock of Eternity.

Once he adjusted to the darkness, he could see the school as clearly as if he was actually there. He saw the arch in front of the school proclaiming its values of equality, fairness, and academic excellence. He saw the buildings, which were empty because school was out, and there were no school events that night. He saw the distinctly arranged decorative trees, and recognized the cedar tree beneath which he and Tamara had their first meaningful conversation….

His image of the school became blurred, and was replaced by the living room of Tamara's house, which he vaguely recognized from the two times he had been there. Tamara was pouring herself a drink from the refrigerator, and Calvin was sitting on the couch, texting.

Billy felt a sudden wave of jealousy, and realized that despite all his powers, he still possessed the weakness of being an emotional teenage boy. The Historama involuntarily zoomed in on Calvin, and Billy could not avoid seeing the text messages that Calvin was sending and receiving.

Even though half of the screen was covered by the Android keyboard, which Calvin's fingers were flying across as he connected letters to form words with the Swype input system, there was still plenty of room for text messages in the top half of the large screen on Calvin's HTC EVO 4G, one of many expensive gadgets that his wealthy parents had purchased for him.

The first text had been sent by Calvin himself, and read, "**Me: **I'm sorry, I can't. I'm at Tamara's house. Sent: 7:34PM"

The second text read, "**Anna Harrison: **How much longer must we keep us this charade? Why can't we be honest about our relationship? Received: 7:36PM"

Calvin's reply showed up as "**Me:** You know how our fathers hate each other. They would never accept us dating. Sent: 7:37PM"

Anna replied back with the message, "**Anna Harrison: **I feel kind of sorry for Tamara. She has no idea that you're using her as a cover for our relationship. Received 7:38PM"

Billy could not stop himself seeing the response that Calvin was composing, which said "I don't care about her feelings. You know what my father-"

With an effort, Billy tore himself away from the Historama and returned to the real world, shocked by what he had seen. He felt sorry for Tamara, and was furious at Calvin for using her, but he could not help feeling hopeful that there was now a very good reason for Tamara and Calvin to break up.

"Do not allow your attention to stray when you are in the Historama," Shazam chided. "There are some things that Billy Batson does not need to know."

Billy said nothing, afraid of what Shazam might say in response. The Wisdom of Solomon told him that a relationship like what Calvin and Tamara had would inevitably end badly, and it would only hurt Tamara more if they stayed together longer. She would probably find out eventually, and it would only more painful if she found out later. But Solomon cautioned Billy against revealing this to Tamara, because it could jeopardize his secret identity. However, Tamara deserved to know what was being done to her. Still in the form of Captain Marvel, Billy made up his mind that he would tell Tamara that her boyfriend was cheating on her, but he would not tell her that he was Captain Marvel.

At school the following day, which was a Wednesday, Billy tried to get a chance to talk to Tamara about this, but he didn't feel comfortable talking about it in front of Jessica and Lauren, and this was something that he felt he should say in person, not over the phone or online. But it seemed that Jessica and Lauren were acting like a security detail, because Tamara never seemed to go anywhere without at least one of them. It was late in the afternoon, and school was getting out, when Billy finally got a chance to speak with Tamara alone.

Ironically, they were standing under the same cedar tree where they'd had their first meaningful conversation. It was amazing how memorable it was to discuss whether it might be possible that people could allow demons to possess them in exchange for material success.

As Billy approached, Tamara asked him, "Have you heard about the new superhero?"

"I don't know much about him, but there's something I need to tell you," Billy said, feeling like he would rather face a hundred heavily armed men. "It's very important, and I'm not making this up, so please trust me."

Tamara looked at Billy expectantly, waiting for his answer. Billy desperately wished that he had the Courage of Achilles right now. He took a deep breath, and said, "Someone - who chooses to remain anonymous – told me that they inadvertently saw Calvin texting a girl named Anna Harrison, and saying that… his relationship with you was a lie, and… to put it simply, he's cheating on you with Anna. He said that he doesn't care about you, and that he's only dating you to hide his relationship with Anna, because his father and Anna's father hate each other."

Tamara listened carefully, but when Billy was done, she said, in a quiet but angry tone, "Anna Harrison? You expect me to believe that Calvin is seeing _her_? They hate each other."

"That's just an act so people won't suspect what's really going on," Billy said desperately, knowing that he was going to fail in his attempt to convince Tamara of the truth.

"Couldn't you have come up with something more imaginative?" Tamara challenged. "We just read _Romeo and Juliet_ for our English class, and now you come up with some story about how you think that Calvin and Anna want to hide their relationship because their families hate each other?"

"Please," Billy said with a gesture of supplication, feeling crushed and defeated. "At least consider what I've said. If you don't believe me, look at his cell phone. If he didn't delete the messages you'll see them." When Tamara did not seem eager to do anything he was suggesting, he said, "Most importantly, don't tell him. If you do, he'll erase the messages and you won't be able to look at his phone if you change your mind."

"Of course I'm not going to tell him," Tamara said in a tone that clearly tried to express her anger without sounding so loud that she would be overheard. "It's so ridiculous I don't know how I could bring it up."

Somehow, it did not surprise Billy when he saw Tamara and Calvin holding hands as they waited in line at the cafeteria on the next day, which was Thursday. He had saved three more people the night before, but that didn't make him any happier.

When he sat with Fred and four other teenagers, he was only vaguely aware of their conversation, but he could tell that it had something to do with a speech that Mayor Jenkins was going to give a couple of blocks away from the school. Throughout the last two class periods, an idea started to occur to Billy. He initially dismissed it as absurd, but it grew in his mind until he decided that he was going to do it. He spent almost an hour after school trying to find a safe place to transform without being seen, as it was very important that no one see him transform this time.

After he had transformed, he saw how the sky was filled with dark clouds. A storm was brewing, and he thought that this might not be the best time for what he was planning to do. The Wisdom of Solomon told him that he was just getting cold feet, and most people would not care what the sky looked like when he did what he intended to do.

Mayor Joseph Jenkins was speaking outdoors, in front of a large crowd that had informally gathered in the open air to hear him speak.

"Our city is facing a financial crisis, the likes of which we have not seen since the Great Depression," the Mayor said. "We are barely struggling to have enough money to pay for education, and to provide necessary social services for orphans and the homeless. But there is still one way in which our lives have been improving: Crime has been declining steadily in New York City for the last fifteen years. Therefore, I feel that it is necessary to reduce the budget of the New York Police Department by ten percent."

The crowd erupted in noise, a combination of questions, jeers, gasps, and scattered cheers. Just then, a red-clad figure shot out of the sky, landing ten feet away from the Mayor, in full view of the entire crowd.

Captain Marvel surveyed the scene, having followed the Wisdom of Solomon and not landed too close to Mayor Jenkins, so as to avoid frightening him. Many people cautiously stepped away from him, but it seemed that in a matter of seconds, half of the people in the crowd were holding cell phones, trying to get images and video of the superhero.

"People of New York City," he began. "I am here to protect you. If I see you in perilous situations, I will save you from harm. I am not here to replace the police, and I will leave the prosecution and punishment of criminals to the legitimate authorities. But I tell you again: You have nothing to fear from me. I am not here to hurt you, I am here to protect you."

Billy felt overwhelmed as a barrage of questions reached him. A reporter from a local TV station timidly approached him, and pointed her microphone at him. "What should we call you?"

"You can call me Captain Marvel," Billy answered with what he assumed would soon be known as his trademark grin. "What else do you people want to know about me?"

Other reporters crowded in, trying to get closer to Captain Marvel, and many bystanders approached him. Mayor Jenkins stood off to the side, looking relieved, frightened, and jealous all at the same time. At least he wouldn't get much trouble over his plan to reduce the police budget, but it was not every day that a superhero interrupted one of his speeches.

"Ask me anything," Billy said. "What do you want to know about Captain Marvel?"

He was bombarded with another barrage of questions.

"What is your real name?"

"How do you fly?"

"Are you going to work directly with the police?"

"Did Mayor Jenkins put you up to this?"

"Are you human?"

The questions once again overwhelmed Billy, and he held up a hand, saying "One at a time, please. Someone ask me a single question."

A businessman who was wearing a finely tailored suit and a Rolex stepped up to Billy and asked, "Can you turn lead into gold?"

It was a stupid question, but then, people could act strangely when confronted with such unexpected situations. The Wisdom of Solomon started to formulate a proper answer, but Billy's own emotions overrode it, as he felt an intense surge of hatred towards the man and his obvious, disgusting greed, the same kind of emotion that had driven Ebenezer to treat Billy so horribly.

He spoke without thinking, and said, "Your lust for money disgusts me. People are starving in other parts of the world, and many Americans are struggling to support themselves financially, and you just want more money for yourself."

His angry comments caused the businessman to suddenly flee from him in terror, provoking a chain reaction that caused the entire crowd to step away from him.

"Ok, everybody, I cannot turn lead into gold, but I had no intention of hurting that man." Initially, Billy thought that he sounded awkward, and was embarrassed by that, but he realized that it was better than sounding arrogant. "Ask me anything about my powers, and I will answer you. If you come up to me, I promise that I will not hurt you."

Billy realized that this was a crucial point. Right now, his public image was being made, and if people were afraid of him now, it could have lasting effects. He fervently hoped for somebody to come forward.

When someone did, Billy was glad that the Courage of Achilles enabled him to keep his composure. The person approaching him was Tamara.

She slowly walked towards him, but did not turn back. She gazed admiringly at him, and the heightened perception granted to him by the Wisdom of Solomon enabled him to realize that she was falling in love with Captain Marvel, and for a moment, he was absurdly jealous of himself.

"What do you want to know?" he asked pleasantly, pretending not to know Tamara.

"Can you see the future?" Tamara asked.

"No," Billy answered as Captain Marvel. "But I can see into the present, and if you come closer, I will tell you something about yourself that you have not realized yet."

Tamara stepped towards Billy, who leaned close to her so he could speak privately. With his enhanced hearing, he could hear the rapid pounding of her heart, and knew beyond any doubt that she had fallen for Captain Marvel. He forced himself to focus on what he was going to say.

Billy leaned close to Tamara, and said, in a whisper only she could hear, "Someone close to you has betrayed you."

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I actually do own an Android phone in real life, and I tried to make the text messages as authentic as possible.


	5. Chapter 5

When Captain Marvel turned back into Billy Batson in a secluded area behind a store, he checked the time on his cell phone, and saw that the screen read "One Missed Call: Fred 4:29 PM." _Sometime I should ask Shazam how I can transform with my cell phone and have it still work when it doesn't exist_, Billy thought to himself. His clothes and everything in his pockets always disappeared when he turned into Captain Marvel, but they always returned to him when he became Billy Batson again.

He called Fred back, and heard Fred speaking enthusiastically from the other end of the line.

"Billy, did you see the superhero? He's calling himself Captain Marvel. Someone suggested that I should go see the Mayor's speech, before they knew what was going to happen there, and I _really_ should have listened. I saw a clip of it on YouTube, and I think Tamara was talking to Captain Marvel. This is _amazing._ I never thought it could happen for real."

Billy made up his mind that Fred would accept him being Captain Marvel, and he wanted someone he could trust other than Shazam. He said, "You know that old baseball field in the Bronx?"

"The one where we launched fireworks back in the seventh grade?" Fred asked.

Billy smiled at the memory of that adventurous outing, and said, "Yes, that place. Do you think it's still there?"

"It still is," Fred confirmed. "And so are the buildings surrounding it. It's a great angle if you want to hide some pyrotechnics. Is that what you're planning?"

"No," answered Billy. "There's something I need to tell you, and I can't say it over the phone. Will you meet me there as soon as it's dark?"

"Ok, but I am still confused."

"It'll all make sense. Trust me."

When Billy arrived at the empty baseball field later that evening, rain was pouring down from the sky. He realized that he should have noticed the storm clouds that had been gathering earlier today, and paid more attention to the weather forecast. This was not the best time for what he intended to do, but he had always made his decision. Fred showed up a few minutes after Billy did, and said, "I am very curious about what you wanted to tell me out here that you couldn't say inside a decent, waterproof building."

"I'm sorry about the rain," Billy said. "But you'll see soon enough why I couldn't tell you this indoors." _I wish I had the Courage of Achilles and I could just stop hesitating. At least it's easier than telling Tamara would be._

"So what did you want to tell me?" asked Fred.

"I'm Captain Marvel."

Fred suppressed a laugh. "You're Captain Marvel? Isn't he—"

"Bigger than me? Yes. It's an excellent disguise. If you don't believe that I'm Captain Marvel when I tell you that myself, my enemies won't believe it if they connect Billy Batson with Captain Marvel."

"But how do you-"

"I have the power of the gods, which enables me to transform into Captain Marvel. A wizard gave it to me. His name is Shazam."

At the moment when Billy spoke Shazam's name, a bolt of lightning came down from the sky, transforming Billy into Captain Marvel.

Billy changed instantaneously before Fred's astonished gaze. There was no gradual process of the small, geeky-looking teenage boy turning into the powerfully built superhero. It simply happened in a single instant.

"Billy?" Fred choked out in utter surprise.

"Yes, that's me," Billy said, speaking in the deeper, more confident tones of Captain Marvel. "After Ebenezer kicked me out, I went to the subway station, but I didn't take a train. I wandered into an area that I probably shouldn't have gone into, except that it had an entrance to another dimension, where the wizard I can't name without transforming again gave me the power of six ancient beings. Now I'm Captain Marvel, the defender of New York City."

"So, will you be attending the IMA's as Captain Marvel?"

Billy laughed, an infectious grin spreading across his face. "No, although I will be listening to the performances as Billy Batson. I have to maintain my secret identity."

"But you could talk to any of the stars that you wanted to. You could not only see the performances, you could request a song. I guarantee you, many people will love it if Captain Marvel is seen with their favorite musicians."

"It's tempting, but the likes of Lady Gaga seem pretty insignificant once I've met a five-thousand year old wizard."

"He's that old? He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named really is five thousand years old?"

"_You _can say his name," Billy told Fred. "It's just that I can't say it unless I want to change."

"Shazam. Shazam. Shazam? Shazam!" Fred repeated. "No, it doesn't work for me. It would be nice if it did. We could fight crime side-by-side, and we'd be two greatest superheroes in the world."

"We'd be the _only _two superheroes in the world." Billy said dryly. "But the power doesn't work for anyone who hasn't been chosen by the unnamable wizard, and I don't think he's going to pick another champion. However, I must go home now. I have a history paper to write, and Billy Batson is way behind in his schoolwork."

"Are you having trouble with the paper?"

Billy nodded, realizing just how silly it was to have Captain Marvel talking about schoolwork. "Yes. Essays just aren't my thing."

"You should have told me sooner. I would help you, but I have a family event an hour from now that I can't go back on. But, don't you want to – change first?"

"Actually, I figured that I'd save some time and fly part of the way home."

"So, Billy," Fred said as Billy started to rise into the air. "Are you going to use your powers to teach Joe and Chris a lesson?"

"No," Billy answered. "Not that they don't deserve it, but I'm not supposed to use my powers for selfish reasons." He flew off into the night, trying to stay out of well-lit areas.

Right after Billy returned home, he tried work on the history paper. He'd written a four-page rough draft, but he'd been so preoccupied with being Captain Marvel that it had been easy to procrastinate. He had been doing better in math, because Captain Marvel could solve higher-powered equations in a matter of seconds, but while he was sure Captain Marvel would make a great essay-writer, having had the Wisdom of Solomon while he was Captain Marvel did not help Billy Batson write essays.

He started to work on his paper, but he still was just as unsuccessful as he was before. As he sat in front of the keyboard, stumped by the assignment, the crash of thunder echoed from outside, and an idea occurred to him. He initially dismissed it as absurd, dangerous, and stupid, but then he thought, _I am Captain Marvel. I'm the champion of the ancient gods. I can lift up automobiles with my bare hands and fly faster than an airplane. How can I fail a high school writing assignment?_

He left his room and heard Theo talking on the telephone. This was the perfect time. He entered his room, put on a raincoat, and stepped out onto the balcony, into the pouring rain. A flash of lightning illuminated the darkened sky, and he heard thunder a couple of seconds later.

"Shazam!" Billy exclaimed, quietly but forcefully.

He transformed into Captain Marvel, and then he went inside to work on his paper. When he sat down at his computer, he seriously considered adjusting the chair, because it was not intended for someone of Captain Marvel's height. His long legs did not have enough room beneath the computer desk, and if he did not have his powers, he would have found the situation to be uncomfortable. But there was no time to waste. He had to act now.

He quickly loaded Microsoft Word and opened the file for his essay. He looked through what he had written, but the Wisdom of Solomon gave him no miraculous inspiration. He was just as stuck as he was when he was in his own form. He invented and solved a quadratic equation as quickly as he could think about it, and briefly considered doing his math homework right now, but he received no ideas for his essay.

He knew that exponential equations would be child's play for Captain Marvel, and even as he thought about that, his mind started trying to figure out what exponential power was needed to turn 2 into 10. As his mind performed logarithmic calculations that would have been impossible for even an excellent math student to perform without a calculator, he realized to his amazement that if he started thinking about math while he had the Wisdom of Solomon, it was actually harder _not_ to solve the problem.

Just as Billy realized how absurd it was to have Captain Marvel writing his papers for him, he remembered that the United States had been engaged in diplomatic negotiations with Japan when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He didn't remember reading that in any of his textbooks or other sources, so it obviously came from the Wisdom of Solomon.

Once Billy was aware that the Wisdom of Solomon could help him write this history paper, his mind was flooded with information that would have overwhelmed Billy Batson with its sheer volume, but Captain Marvel could handle it with his superior intellect. Rather than trying to write a good history paper, he tried to write a paper that wasn't _too_ good, because the Wisdom of Solomon would have enabled him to create an essay that would have been difficult for a professional historian to write, let alone a high school student.

He had just finished writing his paper when he heard Theo say "Billy? Are you in there?"

Billy opened his mouth to speak, and shut it when the Wisdom of Solomon informed him that his voice would not sound like Billy Batson's. He needed to change back, so he quickly walked out onto the balcony and whispered "Shazam."

The lightning bolt transformed Billy back to his old body, and he hoped that Theo wouldn't notice the thunder that accompanied it, because of the frequent thunderbolts that were being produced by the storm. The thunder that accompanied Zeus's lightning was not as loud as real thunder, so Theo probably wouldn't notice its proximity.

Billy returned to his room, remembering to take off his coat, which was dripping wet and had spilled water on the floor where he had been walking.

Theo entered the room, saying "Billy?"

"I'm here," Billy said.

Theo noticed the drops of water on the floor, and the discarded coat, but did not comment. He was clearly distracted by something, and he said, "One of my colleagues is in trouble. I need to go help him out. Do you think you'll be okay here by yourself?"

"I'll be fine," Billy said. "Don't worry about me."

_That was too close,_ Billy thought as Theo left the room. _I should never use my powers at home again._

At school the following day, Tamara drew Billy aside between classes, and talked to him in a corner of a hallway so they would not be overheard. Her eyes looked puffy, as if she had been crying. She seemed upset, sad, and angry, although none of these feelings appeared to be directed at Billy.

"I'm sorry. I should have listened to you," she said in a tone of genuine regret. "Yesterday, Captain Marvel told me that someone close to me had betrayed me. I remembered what you told me on Wednesday, so I kind of pickpocketed Calvin's phone, and then I saw the messages. You were right, Billy, but I shouldn't have needed the world's mightiest man to tell me that."

"I'm sorry," Billy said. "I know it sounded like I was trying to tear you and Calvin apart, but I just couldn't let him to take advantage of you."

The school buzzer rang, to Billy's sudden annoyance. He and Tamara went to their classes, but he was happy about what she had just said to him. He felt sorry for the emotional pain that Calvin had caused her, but she did seem to like Billy now, although he was not sure whether it could ever be more than just friendship.

At the cafeteria, Fred and his friends were talking about Captain Marvel, like everyone else seemed to be.

"I don't understand why nobody has recognized him," Rachel said. "He didn't wear a mask, and by now, probably every American and a lot of people outside the country have seen his face."

"It's obvious," Mike said. "If Captain Marvel has a secret identity, he has some way to modify his facial appearance when he's Captain Marvel. But I think it's an interesting coincidence that he showed up so close to our school, and Tamara was the only person who had the courage to talk to him after he threatened that businessman. Maybe he goes to our school."

"Captain Marvel, a student at the Binder School?" Fred said with a laugh. "I really don't think we've met Captain Marvel without knowing it. And, he looks like he's at least twenty-five. If he has anything to do with this school, he's a teacher, not a student."

As the conversation drifted to less serious subjects, Billy started to fully understand the responsibility that he had placed on Fred. Now, Fred would have to keep Billy's secret, and would know that a single slip could ruin everything. He wondered if he had made the right choice by telling Fred about his powers.

Later in the afternoon, when Billy was on his way to his final class of the day, he saw Joe and Chris shoot him derogatory looks as they passed him, and he wondered idly if there was some way that he could get revenge on them as Captain Marvel, but then he decided that he would not do it, and that it was too risky, as it could expose Captain Marvel's connection to Billy Batson.

But then he saw Jane Abbot run past him and rush into the girls' bathroom, with tears flowing from her eyes onto her scarred face. Instantly everything became clear to Billy. Joe and Chris had been brutally teasing Jane about her face, which had been horribly disfigured in an automobile accident when she was a child. Plastic surgery had repaired much of the damage, enabling her to go out in public without being too embarrassed to show her face, but it could not get rid of all the scars, and she was very sensitive about the topic. Billy felt a massive wave of revulsion at what Joe and Chris had done, and then he made up his mind that he wouldn't allow it to go unpunished. He started to form schemes for how he could give Joe and Chris what they deserved.

It was Friday, so Joe and Chris went to their favorite hangout that night, as they typically did on Friday nights. It was a bar that had a dubious reputation for letting people who under the age of 21 drink alcohol. Billy considered informing the police, but he decided that he could do that another time, and he suspected that in order to remain in business as long as it had, the law-breaking establishment had some friends in the police department. But getting busted for buying alcohol wouldn't make Joe and Chris change their ways, so Billy needed something more dramatic.

Joe and Chris arrived at the bar in Chris's brand-new Ford Focus, which he was quite fond of. As the two boys walked toward the bar's entrance, they were unaware that Captain Marvel crouched behind a food truck that was parked in front of a nearby restaurant.

Moving in a crouch, Billy carefully stepped through the parking lot, trying to avoid being seen. The Wisdom of Solomon warned him not to do this, but he ignored it. He crouched behind Chris's car, and suddenly ripped off its door with the Strength of Hercules, and hurled it like a missile into the path of the bullies. It landed like a javelin in front of them, its bottom three inches buried in the concrete. Scratched on the side of the door were the words, "DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE DONE UNTO YOU"

Billy knew that people would notice the flying door and they would find him, and he couldn't afford to be seen here, even as Captain Marvel. He concentrated on the Power of Zeus, and let it take him up to the Rock of Eternity.

When Billy arrived, Shazam was looking into the Historama, and immediately turned away from it when Billy appeared. Storm clouds of anger seemed to be gathering behind the old wizard's eyes.

"William. Joseph. Batson." Shazam said in a furious tone. "You have abused the power of the gods for your own personal gain. You used your position as Captain Marvel to convince Tamara Ferguson that her boyfriend was cheating on her."

The Historama's surface flickered, and then showed Billy talking to Tamara at the Mayor's speech, telling her that someone had betrayed her. The Historama did not fill Billy's vision, and it was like looking at a blue-tinted, spherical TV screen.

"You then revealed your secret identity to a human without consulting me or considering the ramifications," Shazam said as the Historama showed Billy transforming into Captain Marvel as Fred watched. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to expose your identity? You may be bulletproof as Captain Marvel, but Billy Batson would die if someone shot him with a sniper rifle."

"You then used the Wisdom of Solomon to cheat on your academic paper, without realizing that your foolish plan would not work in real life."

Billy was briefly pulled into the Historama, and his vision was filled with an image of his history teacher grading papers. The teacher started to scrawl an A on Billy's paper, but then he glanced at the name on the paper, and an expression of surprise crossed his face. The teacher's surprise and puzzlement disappeared as realization dawned in his eyes, and he picked up the telephone, dialing a number.

"I think one of my students had arranged for somebody else to write his paper for him. There is no way he could have written such a good paper—"

Billy was drawn back to the real world, but Shazam's harangue was not over.

"And then, worst of all, you used your power to take out your petty, personal revenge on your enemies at school. This is not why I gave you these powers, William. I believed you were worthy. Maybe I was wrong."

Billy was glad that he was Captain Marvel, because he didn't know if he could take this as Billy Batson. He felt suddenly guilty at his misuse of his powers, and then reacted with unreasonable anger, using the only defense that occurred to him. "You were _spying_ on me. Do you have no concept of privacy?"

"And do you think that I should give you the most dangerous weapon in the world and not watch what you do with it? Let me show what happened the last time I chose a champion. Let me tell you about Teth-Adam."

Billy was suddenly pulled into the Historama again, and the Rock of Eternity disappeared, and was replaced by images of another time.


	6. Chapter 6

Billy somehow knew that that the Historama had taken him back in time, and he was viewing events five thousand years in the past. He caught a glimpse of a shepherd boy in ancient Canaan who looked remarkably like Shazam, and then the Historama skipped forward for almost two millennia.

Shazam now looked very much like he did in the 21st Century, except that he was wearing the robes and headdress of an ancient Egyptian high priest. Shazam was traveling through a desert, and Billy saw glimpses of the journey combined to form a montage showing how Shazam arrived at a city built of stone, a sprawling ancient metropolis, which was quite large for its time, but still had fewer people than even a small city in modern times.

"I was seeking a champion to wield the power of the gods," Shazam-in-the-present told Billy with a voice that seemed strangely disembodied since Billy could not see him. "I had heard stories of Teth-Adam, a prince of Kahndaq, whose great courage and skill at arms were known even in Egypt."

They were in a large amphitheater, and Shazam was sitting in the Kahndaqi version of a royal box, and the King of Kahndaq was sitting beside him. On the floor of the amphitheater, awaiting judgment, was a man who Shazam told Billy was a notorious bandit chief.

"I pronounce you guilty of all that you have been accused of," the King told the bandit. "You are hereby sentenced to death by decapitation."

"I demand the right of trial by combat," shouted the bandit. "Name your champion!"

"You do not deserve it," said the king. "But I cannot deny my people the spectacle of a good fight. I choose my son!"

A tall, powerfully-built man wearing a black robe and carrying a curved sword called a _khopesh _climbed down a series of steps and walked into the arena.

As a soldier gave the bandit a sword that was similar to the prince's, with inferior craftsmanship and less decoration on the hilt, Shazam's disembodied voice said, "This is Teth-Adam."

He was clearly speaking of the prince, and when Billy saw Teth-Adam fight the bandit, he immediately saw why Teth-Adam was so famous as a warrior, and why the prince's father did not seem concerned that his son might die.

The bandit clearly had no chance against Teth-Adam, who could have easily killed him in a matter of seconds, but prolonged the fight to avoid disappointing the crowd. Adam's blade moved like it had a mind of its own, unerringly blocking all of the bandit's strokes, and wounding the other man in the right and arm and the left side after about a minute of combat.

The wounded bandit went to his knees and pitifully begged Adam for his life, as the prince held a sword to his throat. Though they were in a language Billy had never heard before, the bandit's pleas were as understandable to Billy as if they were in perfect English. But despite his desperation, the bandit said one thing with an air of confidence. "Ahk-Ton will come for you. He will come for all of you."

Although the crowd was shouting for Adam to kill the bandit, Adam said, "I am not an executioner. This man has been sentenced to death, and has failed in his appeal through combat, but I will not be the one to kill him."

As Billy watched a group of soldiers drag the bandit to the executioner's block, Shazam told him, "That was a brutal time, when men were judged by their skill at arms. I attached too much importance to Adam's courage, and I was convinced that he was better than most men of his time when he refused to strike the blow that would slay that bandit. But little did I know that he knew exactly why I was there."

"I took Adam to the Rock of Eternity," Shazam narrated, as Billy saw Adam arriving inside the Rock of Eternity, which looked remarkably similar to the way it looks now, and saw Adam speak Shazam's name, and then transform. Adam's transformation was much more subtle than Billy, the most noticeable change being that a large golden thunderbolt design appeared on the front of Adam's robes.

"Soon, Adam faced his first true challenge. The mad priest Ahk-Ton was raiding Kahndaq, and attacking it with his dark sorcery. His followers believed he was divine. They saw the supernatural power he attained by stealing the Orb of Ra as having been granted by the gods, and they would do anything that he commanded. They were more dangerous than the savage barbarians of the ancient world, because they believed that the evil they were committing was right, and therefore had no restraints, nothing to hold them back from doing what their dark master commanded."

Billy saw Teth-Adam flying over Kahndaq, and intercepting a group of Ahk-Ton's followers who were raiding a village on Kahndaq's frontier. Adam threw some of the warriors aside, and killed others with brutal, superpowered blows. The weapons of the raiders had no effect of Adam, and those who were fortunate enough to survive quickly fled. Billy saw a montage of Adam defeating three similar raids.

"Eventually, Teth-Adam decided that he needed to strike at the heart of his enemy. He had listened to my advice, which warned against wanton aggression, so he had not attacked Ahk-Ton as soon as he might have otherwise. But I agreed that Ahk-Ton needed to be stopped, so I gave Adam permission to take him down."

Billy saw Adam shooting out of the sky into another ancient city. Adam crashed through the wall of a large stone palace. Pieces of stone flew everywhere as Adam flew through the building, breaking down walls and throwing people aside. Adam burst through the ceiling in a room where Ahk-Ton was speaking to a crowd of his worshippers, holding a glowing orb in his hand.

Adam shot down through the ceiling and slammed into Ahk-Ton, pushing him against a wall. The glowing orb shattered, and the people watched in horror as Adam held their revered priest by the throat with one hand.

"Adam could have killed Ahk-Ton that day, but he believed in what I had taught him. I had told him never to kill if it was not necessary to save an innocent life. Instead of killing Ahk-Ton in cold blood, Adam exposed him as a fraud. Without the Orb of Ra, he could not give his people the miracles they expected from him, and he would have no power over them."

"Adam returned to Egypt, where I instructed him in the ways of magic. I had my hopes that he would become my equal in wizardry, and perhaps even be capable of taking my place one day. We turned our thoughts to spiritual and esoteric matters, so we did not notice that Ahk-Ton was still as much of a threat as he had been before."

"Ahk-Ton knew that Adam would come for him, so he crafted a fake Orb of Ra to deceive Adam."

Billy saw Ahk-Ton holding the Orb over a large chunk of gold, and using its power to shape the gold into a shining replica of the true Orb of Ra.

"While Adam was studying magic with me, Ahk-Ton was building an army. Soon, his troops fell upon Kahndaq, and devastated the country."

Shazam showed Billy visions of an army marching through Kahndaq, burning villages and slaughtering their inhabitants. When the army approached the walls of Shiruta, the capital city of Kahndaq, it met the army of Kahndaq just outside the city.

The King of Kahndaq sat in a heavy chariot with scythes attached to its wheels, and led a great charge of chariots against the seething mass of Ahk-Ton's infantry. The rest of Kahndaq's army followed him in its charge, but then Ahk-Ton held up the Orb of Ra, and a blindingly bright light washed over the Kahndaqi army, forcing them to avert their eyes. The horses pulling the chariots panicked, throwing many men out of the chariots while pulling the deadly vehicles into the ranks of Kahndaqi infantry, the scythes cutting a bloody path through the defending soldiers.

Kahndaqi priests tried to use their magic staves to hold off the wave of light, but they were no match for Ahk-Ton's power, and one by one, they all dropped dead. Ahk-Ton's army charged, and easily shattered the Kahndaqi defending force. Ahk-Ton used the power of the Orb to blast a hole in Shiruta's stone walls, and then the army charged into the city, killing, raping, and pillaging without restraint.

Shazam said, "Most of Shiruta's population was killed or enslaved by Ahk-Ton's wrath. Teth-Adam's father died in the battle, but that was not the only loss that my young protégé suffered on that terrible day. Adam's wife and children were cruelly murdered by Ahk-Ton himself, whose belief in his own power was so strong that he was certain that he could defeat Adam, should the young champion return."

"When Adam discovered what had happened, he returned to Kahndaq as quickly as he could. He fell upon the invaders with terrible wrath, killing Ahk-Ton and many thousands of his followers. Adam had no mercy on those who had despoiled his homeland. I tried to reason with him, but he refused to listen to me. I sympathized with what he was going through, so I tried to give him another chance. I let him take his rightful place as the ruler of Kahndaq, and govern those of his people who still survived."

"But Teth-Adam had changed forever. He abandoned the persona of the brave warrior he had once been, and became a ruthless tyrant who killed people for even the smallest of what he perceived as crimes against his beloved country. I attempted to take his powers away, but nothing happened. I tried to figure out why, but I had no clue, for he had to speak my name to activate his powers, but he did not appear to draw his power from me."

"A few days later, my daughter came to me. Her name was Blaze, and she was half-demon, the result of an ill-advised coupling that I reluctantly agreed to in order to seal a peace treaty during my last war with the forces of Hell."

Adam saw Blaze, a woman who looked like an ancient Egyptian, but with glowing red eyes and a frightening sneer, speaking to Shazam inside an Egyptian temple.

"I am quite pleased with myself," Blaze said. "I have outsmarted my father, the great Shazam. When you came to Shiruta looking for Adam, I knew what you were doing, so I whispered into Adam's mind to resist his bloodlust and not kill the bandit. I knew that would impress you, and convince you that he could be a worthy champion. You were as predictable as you always were."

"Before Teth-Adam first spoke your name, I made a deal with him. Rather than drawing his power through you, Adam received his magic directly from six Egyptian gods: Shu, Heru, Amon, Zehuti, Aton, and Mehen. You see, Adam is a very strong and independent young man, who did not want to be controlled by anyone. I told him that it would be his insurance policy in case you grew jealous of his power."

"It was not hard to inform Ahk-Ton of Adam's impending attack, so he could hide the real Orb of Ra and then attack Kahndaq once Adam believed that he was no longer a threat. And Adam gave into his dark side, just as I knew he would." Blaze smiled gleefully, and continued. "Father, you cannot kill Teth-Adam. The gods have forbidden it, as there is a treaty of peace between your gods and the gods of Egypt, which I am sure you know very well. And even if you could, it would go against everything you stand for to kill a man who had been like a son to you."

"Why must you do these things?" Shazam pleaded with his daughter. "If you look inside yourself, you will see that you are human as much as you are demonic. There is still something good left in you, I am sure of it."

"Human?" Blaze said in a mocking tone. "Why should I be proud of being weakened by the taint of humanity?"

The scene disappeared, and Billy saw the younger Shazam sitting contemplatively in his throne, underneath the same pyramidal stone block that was still in the Rock of Eternity.

"I was faced with a terrible dilemma," Shazam's present self narrated. "I knew the gods of Greece would not allow me to slay a champion of the Egyptian gods, just as they would let me make war on the gods of India, or those of the Vikings. But Adam still needed to be stopped, and I applied all my wisdom to seeking a solution. I approached Adam myself, and tried to convince him of my daughter's perfidious plot, but he would not listen to me. He had gone mad, and I could not allow him to continue to exist as he did. He would not turn back into his ordinary form, and I did not have the ability to remove his powers. I even petitioned the gods of Egypt to remove Adam's powers, but they ignored me, just as I expected."

"But then, an idea started forming in my mind. As human beings, we must always struggle with temptation, and we need the reasonable restrictions that life places on us, or else we could become monsters, if we can do anything and we are accountable to no one. That is why so many dictators and kings have turned to evil, even if they once believed in a noble ideal. When we can do anything we want, and control the fates of others, it becomes all too easy to believe in our own superiority. Once we start to see ourselves as invariably right, we do whatever we think is necessary or justified, and all too often we become monsters without realizing it."

"Despite their superior knowledge, power, and intellect, the gods are not as different from us as you might think. But they understood how dangerous their power was, so they forced themselves to live by strict laws, and always keep their word exactly. That is why the gods must obey the letter of any promise they make, but they do not have to obey its spirit. While the gods prohibited me from killing an Egyptian champion, they were noticeably vague about what I could do with one who was still alive."

"I tried to find some way to take Teth-Adam's powers away without killing him, but I discovered that they were as much a part of him as his soul was. That was when I remembered that his powers were bound to his soul, not his body. So I devised one of the most powerful and complicated spells I had ever cast. I took Adam's spirit and powers, and removed them from his body, placing them in a golden scarab that he wore as a token. Adam's body withered away and was mummified, and then was buried with the golden scarab. By my request, it was buried in Egypt, not in Kahndaq. There, I could watch over its spells more effectively, and prevent Adam's people from resurrecting him."

"The gods were angry with me for tricking them, even though they agreed that Adam needed to be stopped. They forbade me to choose another champion, and I was willing to accept that, as I feared that the next champion might succumb to the same temptations that had turned Teth-Adam into a monster."

"Recently, as I gazed into the Historama, and looked at many possible futures, I saw that one thing was almost inevitable: Teth-Adam would rise again. I knew that I could not stop him myself, so I convinced the gods to let me pick another champion. That was you, Billy. Only with the power of the gods could Teth-Adam be defeated, and out of all the people that I considered, you were the best choice."

"What you have done with your powers was wrong, but I will not take your powers away for this. I need you to understand why you must be so careful in how use the powers I have given you. You're not a killer, Billy," Billy was relieved when Shazam started referring to him by his nickname again. "If I believed that you were, I would not have chosen you. With your powers, you do not have answer to the will of any mortal. If you start to use your powers to kill, even if those who you kill deserve it, it would be all too easy for you to give into the temptation of tyranny, and then you would be no better than Teth-Adam. It is not your place to decide who deserves to live or die. Never kill if you can avoid it, and do not ever kill in cold blood."

The Rock of Eternity came back into Billy's vision, and after spending so much time in the Historama, it was difficult for him to adjust to the real world. He was relieved that his powers were not going to be taken away, yet the knowledge that there had been someone else like him who used his powers for evil had a sobering effect on Billy.

"My parents," Billy said. "Were they looking for Teth-Adam?" Everything now seemed connected. His parents' deaths, even the exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that Tamara was so interested in.

"Yes," Shazam answered. "The people who killed them have been able to elude my attempts to expose them, but as to whether it was their deliberate design or the limits of the Historama, I do not know. But I think that is enough for today. You may return to the mortal world."


	7. Chapter 7

As Billy returned to the mortal world on Friday night and changed back into his own form, all the doubts and fears that he'd been able to resist with the Courage of Achilles started rapidly growing in his mind. He hadn't realized until now just how good it had felt to have what he saw as Shazam's unconditional approval. Not only was Billy shaken by Shazam having confronted him, he also could not help being afraid of Teth-Adam. He now knew that he was not invincible as Captain Marvel, and he couldn't just defeat any enemy by speaking one magic word.

By the time he went to bed, Billy wanted to talk to Theo. He wasn't sure if he was going to tell Theo that he was Captain Marvel, although he hoped that he could. But he could at least talk to Theo indirectly. And, he wanted to know more about his parents' final expedition.

On Saturday morning, Theo was sitting in front of a TV set, watching the news. The screen showed shaky footage of Kahndaqi troops violently dispersing a political protest.

"Can we talk?" Billy asked.

"Sure," Theo said, turning off the TV.

Billy had no idea how he could start telling Theo that he was Captain Marvel, and he was afraid that if he did, he might lose the trust and affection of the one adult who truly cared about _him_, not Captain Marvel. So he said, "Have you been entrusted with something important, and then felt like you did everything wrong?"

"We all make mistakes in life," Theo said. "It's what we do about them that truly matters. There are many things we can learn from, but there are still things that can never be fixed. I am truly sorry about what happened to your parents. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't wish that I could have done something to save them. Marilyn and C.C. Batson were some of the best friends I ever had, and if I could have died in their place, I would have. They encouraged my interest in archaeology, and if not for them, I probably would not be where I am now. I owe so much to them, yet I still failed them when I need them the most."

"It's not your fault," Billy answered in a sad tone. "There's nothing you could have done, and they wouldn't have wanted you to share their fate. I never blamed you for their deaths, but there is one thing I need to know: How did they die? I believe I am old enough to know everything."

"You are old enough, Billy," Theo said. "If you really want to know, then I will tell you. There were some _stories_ about Teth-Adam. Some people claimed that the gods gave him supernatural power. It's a complete myth, with no basis in scientific fact, but there are some people even today who worship Teth-Adam as a godlike being, and want to take his remains and try to resurrect him with some dark ritual. Those people murdered your parents. I don't know why they didn't disturb Teth-Adam's remains, but I think they didn't find everything they were looking for."

"Or maybe they did," Billy said, thinking of the golden scarab. But he didn't say too much, because he wasn't ready to tell Theo everything. He then asked, "Do you have any idea who they are?"

"No," Theo answered. "Interpol tried to investigate, but they didn't find any good leads, and they had other priorities so soon after 9/11. At first, I was obsessed with finding the culprits, but then I realized that pursuing a personal quest for revenge would not accomplish anything good, and wasn't what your parents would want me to do."

"Teth-Adam's remains are going on exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this Wednesday," Billy said. "Maybe the criminals will show up again."

"That seems unlikely," Theo said. "But I'll tell you what: I knew an FBI agent from when the case was first investigated, and I still have his contact information. If you like, I can contact him and see if they have any new leads."

"Thank you," Billy said. Then Billy sighed and said, as offhandedly as he could, "Wouldn't it be nice if I could just say one word and turn into Captain Marvel? I'm sure he could handle these people."

_And he will_, Billy thought to himself. _Captain Marvel will be at the exhibition next Wednesday. And he'll stop these murderers._

"I have no doubt he could," Theo answered.

It was the late afternoon on Sunday, and a huge crowd was gathered in Central Park, surrounding the temporary stadium that had been constructed for the International Music Awards. They could not see the performances, but they could hear the music. Billy stood with Fred, Mike, Katie, and Rachel, along with four of Fred's other friends. It felt strange to him to be attending something so mundane, and trying to enjoy himself, when the threat of Teth-Adam was hanging over everyone.

"This is one of my favorite songs," Fred was saying as the music carried from the stage. "I hope it wins. Oh, and Billy… look who's approaching."

Billy turned slightly, and saw Tamara, Jessica, and Lauren walking slowly through the crowd. Jessica and Lauren were both wearing T-shirts for their favorite musicians, and Tamara was standing between them, apparently here at their suggestion rather than her own.

"Hi, Tamara," Billy said with a confidence that he didn't think he could have pulled off before he started becoming Captain Marvel. "I thought you preferred dead Kahndaqi princes to live music."

Tamara laughed briefly, and said, "I shouldn't be interested in just the past. And it's kind of fun, hearing all of these famous performers at once. And Teth-Adam can wait three days." She smiled slightly as she said that, and Billy noticed that Jessica and Lauren were striking up conversations with Fred and his friends, leaving Tamara to talk with Billy.

"I've learned some things about Teth-Adam," Billy said. "I'm not sure if they're true, but they're pretty interesting." He had made up his mind that he was going to try to dissuade Tamara from going to the exhibition, but he couldn't help showing off his new knowledge.

"Teth-Adam is supposed to have received powers from the gods," Billy said. "It was said that he was invincible and super-strong, and he singlehandedly defeated an invading army that had devastated his country and killed his father. But Adam became a terrible and dangerous tyrant, so the Egyptian priests took away his powers and bound his spirit in a golden scarab, and there are people today who think they can resurrect him, and those people could potentially attack the exhibition."

"They're not going to show up when there are so many people around," Tamara said. "They'd strike at night when nobody's around. But that's very interesting about Teth-Adam having allegedly possessed supernatural powers. There are so many different accounts of it, and with-"

Billy never heard what Tamara was going to say, because at that moment the music stopped suddenly and screams filled the air. Then, to his utter surprise, Billy saw Teth-Adam rising from the temporary stadium, holding a screaming, exotically costumed dancer high above the ground. He was dressed entirely in black, with a thunderbolt the color of dull gold painted upon his chest. He flew effortlessly, holding the terrified dancer seventy feet off the ground as if he was threatening to drop her.

"CAPTAINNNN MARVEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!" Teth-Adam yelled in a voice so loud it hurt Billy's ears.

Billy knew what was happening. Teth-Adam wanted to fight him, and was willing to hurt innocent people to get his attention. Almost in slow motion, a scene of panic was unfolding as the commotion spread through the crowd. Billy knew what he had to do, but he could not it in front of all these people.

_Superman would know what to do, but I'm not Superman_, Billy thought. Then he remembered how Clark Kent would pretend to run away from danger so he could turn into Superman, and an idea occurred to Billy.

"I have a serious fear of flying supervillains who hold dancers high up in the air. Bye!" Billy said, trying to sound terrified, which was not difficult for him right now.

Billy ran off, eluding his friends and easily getting lost in the chaotic crowd, which was just starting to flee from Teth-Adam. He ducked beneath a table where an opportunistic vendor had been selling soft drinks, and spoke the magic word.

"SHAZAM!"

The table shattered in a spray of soda, mixed with pieces of cheap plastic. Captain Marvel stood amidst its ruins, provoking a cheer from the people around him. He shot up into the sky, rising to Teth-Adam's level.

Adam swooped downwards and gently placed the dancer on the now-vacant stage where she had been performing just a minute ago, and then rejoined Billy in the sky.

Billy rose into the air, flying away from the people beneath him in Central Park. He didn't want any innocent bystanders getting caught in his battle with Teth-Adam.

"Teth-Adam," Billy said. "These people have no quarrel with you. Why do you threaten them?"

"To reclaim what is rightfully mine," Adam said in a deep, booming voice as Billy rose higher into the sky, with Adam following him. "The people of Kahndaq have suffered under the usurper's tyranny for too long. Muzzaf Amadin seized power from the democratically elected leaders, but none of them had any right to rule. None of them were descended from the royal line of Kahndaq, as I was. But when I learned of your exploits, I knew that the wizard had chosen another champion, and I also knew that the old fool would send you to stop me. You have no right to wield this power. It is mine. Not yours, and not the wizard's."

Billy no time to think or react as Adam slammed towards him with the Swiftness of Heru. Adam's fist slammed into Billy's jaw with such force that Billy slammed into the ground, falling 300 feet, almost as soon as he realized he had punched. Billy crashed into a grassy area of Central Park, throwing up a cloud of dirt as he landed. He bounced, slamming into the ground again, and then bouncing up from the second impact and flying right through a tree, shattering its trunk.

Billy felt aches and itches all over his body. He was dazed, and he felt a wet, sticky substance on his cheek that could only be his own blood. Just as Billy extricated himself from the remains of the tree, Adam hurtled out of the sky, like a black meteor of vengeance. Billy hastily grabbed a large piece of the tree trunk, but Adam slammed into him. Adam's fist punched right through the trunk and slammed into Billy's stomach.

Billy felt a sudden, agonizing pain in his middle, and then he was flying backwards uncontrollably. He felt at least three trees splinter as he crashed through them, the sheer force of Adam's blow hurling Billy through the outskirts of Central Park and over a street bordering the park. Billy flew past a minivan, barely avoiding a terrible collision. He landed painfully on the sidewalk opposite from Central Park, feeling cement collapse beneath his impact.

Billy slowly rose to his feet, in front of a newspaper stand. A geeky-looking teenage boy quickly pulled out a cell phone, starting a recording, and said, "Hey, Captain Marvel. Who are you—"

The boy was cut off as Adam shot above the street with the speed of a Japanese bullet train. Billy jumped out of the way, and Adam shot through empty space where Billy had been, and then crashed into the newspaper stand, which exploded in a spray of glass. Newspapers flew everywhere, and then Billy suddenly realized that Adam was vulnerable, because the flying newspapers obscured his vision. Billy reached for Adam, and then grabbed him, slamming him to the ground with an impact that made the earth shake around Adam's feet.

Adam shook off the papers, struggling to escape Billy's two-handed grasp. Billy kicked Adam in the ribs, and he could tell from Adam's reaction that the blow had hurt him.

"Why must you do this, Adam?" Billy demanded. "I know that—"

Billy was suddenly interrupted when Adam pushed him upward with sudden force. Locked in a deadly embrace, the two champions shot through the air, struggling with each other as they crashed through a traffic light and narrowly dodged the edge of an office building. They slammed into a parking garage, flying through walls with incredible speed until Billy's vision was filled with dust and debris.

Billy and Adam let go of each other as they crashed through the walls, and landed outside the parking garage. Billy landed at the base of a thick concrete pillar, and rose to his feet as quickly as he could, ignoring the pain of a dozen minor injuries that Adam had inflicted on him. Adam stood next to a parked commercial truck, and grabbed a heavy iron chain that was used to close the parking garage at night, and viciously ripped it out of the ground. He swung the chain at Billy's head faster than the other champion could dodge.

The end of the chain slammed into Billy's head with such force that Billy was momentarily stunned by the impact, and staggered against the pillar, which trembled alarmingly from the blow. Adam whipped the chain around, and with a single motion, he wrapped it around Billy, tying him to the pillar with a single motion. Adam let go of the chain and placed a hand on the truck, and Billy heard the roar of a motor. Billy tried to break the chain, and as he struggled against, it started to break almost immediately.

But he was too late. The truck slammed into him with incredible acceleration, pushing him into the concrete pillar and knocking it over. It rolled over him and continued on a rampage inside the parking garage, crunching several cars before it exploded in a brilliant fireball that sent debris flying all around Billy and Adam. Billy hoped that nobody was inside the parking garage, but he had no time to think about that, because Adam suddenly attacked him.

Being run over by a truck did not seriously hurt someone who possessed the powers of Achilles and Atlas, but Billy was still knocked prone by the impact, and Adam seized that opportunity to rush at Billy and grab him by the throat. He lifted Billy off the ground with one hand, trying to choke the life out of him.

As Billy felt Adam's iron grip crushing his throat and cutting off his breath, a sense of terror washed over him despite the Courage of Achilles.

"Now that's what happens when I put the power of the gods in a truck," Adam said in a gleeful, mocking tone. "Now tell me, "Captain Marvel", did he choose anyone else?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Billy said in a choked voice, as Adam released the pressure slightly so Billy could speak.

"The wizard," Adam snarled, tightening his grip on Billy's throat. "Has he granted powers to anyone else?"

Billy did not answer, but instead he focused all his strength, speed, and energy into a single blow, slamming his fist into Adam's stomach. Adam flew backwards, crashing through a building and coming out the other side.

Desperately hoping that no one inside the building had been hurt, Billy shot up into the air, hoping that he could fight Adam away from innocent bystanders. His throat still hurt, but the pain was fading quickly due to the Stamina of Atlas, as was the pain from his other injuries.

Adam followed Billy into the sky, and two flying men circled each other in the air, before flying straight at each other simultaneously. They collided with incredible force, which gave Billy some idea of what his astronomy teacher meant by the Big Bang. Billy tumbled in free fall over New York City, skyscrapers flashing past him like a slide show. He skidded along the roof of a twelve-story office building, kicking up fragments of concrete from the impact, and barely regained control of his flight in time to avoid crashing onto a busy street.

He took off in the general direction of Adam, flying more slowly because of the lingering effects of the massive blow he had just felt. After searching for a few minutes, he saw no sign of Adam, and realized that their fight was over.

Billy called upon the Power of Zeus to take him back to the Rock of Eternity so he could talk to Shazam about what happened. He was sure that the old wizard already knew that Adam had returned, but if anyone knew how to defeat Teth-Adam, it would be Shazam.

Billy heard Shazam's voice saying, "It's not too late, Adam. You can still return to the path of righteousness."

Billy appeared behind Adam, who was holding a curved knife, and was poised to throw it. Shazam sat serenely on his throne, the massive stone block still hanging over him by a thread. Adam threw the knife, and it flew in a dizzying arc, not at the wizard, but at the thread holding the block above his head.

Shazam did not even seem to notice the flying blade. Billy ran towards the knife, shouting "Shazam!", desperately trying to warn the wizard. Billy realized too late that by speaking the wizard's name, he was changing back into his own weak form.

The thunderbolt hit Billy and took away his powers just as the massive stone block fell on Shazam, crushing the old wizard and his golden throne. Billy tumbled to the floor, a weak and helpless teenage boy with no powers.

"Shazam!' Billy shouted. "Shazam! Shazam!"

Nothing happened when Billy spoke Shazam's name. Now that the wizard was dead, those who drew their power from him were now powerless.

Adam stepped towards Billy, saying, "You foolish boy. If you had not spoken the wizard's name, you might still have your powers. And you might still have a chance against me."

Adam rushed toward Billy, and then lifted him off the floor, throwing him against the wall opposite from the Seven Deadly Sins. When Billy struck the wall, it seemed like every nerve in his body was screaming in agony from the impact. Chips of timeless stone flew from the wall, landing all around Billy. He did not think he had suffered any serious injuries, but his mind was overwhelmed with pain and terror. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a glowing blue crystal, and remembered the alternate portals Shazam had told him about. He tried not to look at it directly, and slowly crawled towards it as if he was trying to avoid Adam. If he could touch the crystal, he could escape, but Adam could easily stop him from reaching it.

"I am sorry that I have to kill you, Billy. You showed me how to unlock the power of the scarab, but you have become an obstacle in my way. Just like your parents."

Billy felt a sudden sense of terror upon learning that Adam knew his real name. He could not go back to his own life, and Adam could hurt anyone close to Billy. They were all in danger: Fred, Tamara, Theo. _Theo. _A horrible idea occurred to Billy, but in the space of a few seconds, it all became clear.

"Theo?" Billy asked in shock.

"Yes," Adam answered. "Theo _Adam_ Templeton. All my life, I have known that I was somebody important. When I started studying archaeology, it gradually became clear to me that I was the reincarnation of an ancient Egyptian, or more accurately, a Prince of Kahndaq. I learned that I was Teth-Adam reincarnated, and so I devoted myself to finding his remains, and possessing the scarab that held his soul."

"Your parents helped me get the funding and support that I needed to unlock my tomb, but I grew more and more angry with them. They were the great archaeologists about to make the find of their careers, and I was their insignificant research assistant, who did most of the work but got none of the credit. And when the discovery was near at hand, they completely ignored me at all times when they did not need something from me. So I took the golden scarab for myself. My associates ensured that no one from the expedition escaped to tell the tale, and I shot your parents myself. They would have exposed Teth-Adam and his scarab to the entire world, and I could not allow that to happen. I needed the scarab for myself."

"For years, I tried unsuccessfully to unlock the secrets of the scarab. I had many of Teth-Adam's memories, but the one thing I could not remember was how to switch between forms. I played the part of the guilty survivor, and I pretended to take care of you, although I will admit that there were times when I felt bad about what happened to your parents, and I genuinely wanted to help you."

"But then, you started turning into Captain Marvel. I knew that _something_ had changed about you, and I figured out that you were Captain Marvel when I heard the two lightning bolts outside my apartment last Thursday night. But I wasn't sure until yesterday, when you talked about turning into Captain Marvel by speaking a single word. You, Billy Batson, have given me the power I need. Once I knew that you activated your own abilities by speaking a single word, it wasn't hard to figure out which word I would need to activate the scarab. Of course, that selfish and egotistical wizard of yours would have made the magic word his own name, and then everything came together for me. Thanks to you, I will once again take my rightful place as ruler of Kahndaq, once I have looked into my heart."

Billy slowly inched his way towards the crystal, moving slowly to avoid being noticed. He was almost there, but he needed a little more time. Adam could kill him at any moment, so he needed to keep Adam talking.

"Mary. My sister. What did you do to her?" Billy demanded in a voice full of anger and fear.

"My associates were quite greedy and unscrupulous. They took her, and they clearly wanted to sell her. For I all know, she's dead or living in the modern equivalent of a harem somewhere."

Billy felt a terrible rage at Adam for killing his parents and callously condemning his sister to a horrible fate. He wanted to rush at Adam and strangle him with his bare hands, but he knew that would be suicide, so he reached out in a sudden motion and grabbed the crystal, just as Teth-Adam lunged at him.

The Rock of Eternity disappeared around Billy just a second before the fatal blow would have landed.


	8. Chapter 8

Billy was back in the subway, at the same place where he had first traveled to the Rock of Eternity. He was in pain from multiple scrapes and bruises, but he had no serious injuries. He slowly rose to his feet, and shouted "Shazam!", but nothing happened.

"Shazam! SHAAAAZAAAAAAM!"

No matter how many times Billy repeated the dead wizard's name, no lightning bolt came down from the skies to transform him into Captain Marvel. He was alone, and as Billy Batson, he was nothing. He knew that he could do nothing to stop Teth-Adam, and if he went back to his old life, if he contacted anyone he knew, then Adam could find him. He was beaten, and all he had left was to hide from Teth-Adam. He considered telling the authorities that Theo was Teth-Adam, but he realized that nobody would believe him. Theo looked nothing like Teth-Adam, and the cops would not believe that ordinary-looking people could transform into superheroes, unless Billy could demonstrate that himself, which was impossible since he no longer had any powers.

So Billy chose to hide. He had some money on his person, so he bought dinner at a dingy restaurant. That night, he slept underground, knowing that he was in danger of being attacked by muggers, but also knowing that Teth-Adam was much more of a danger to him than any mugger.

When Billy woke up on the following day, he realized that it was Monday and he should be in school, but school was the first place where Teth-Adam would look for him. He ate breakfast at a cheap café, and stayed at a table in the corner. Throughout the morning, he did basically nothing except quietly repeating Shazam's name. He repeatedly cursed himself as an idiot for foolishly calling the wizard's name and losing his powers. He wasn't sure if his powers could still have worked after the wizard's death, but there had been a chance that he could have stayed as Captain Marvel.

Billy frequently glanced at the windows, as if he was expecting to see Teth-Adam flying into the third-rate establishment to kill him. Around noon, he ordered a simple BLT sandwich for lunch, and he had just started eating it when somebody walked over to his table. It was Fred.

"What are you doing here, Billy?"

"Fred? How did you find me here?"

"It wasn't hard," Fred answered, sitting down across from Billy at the small two-person table. "I'm your best friend. I know you better than anyone else does. Last night, I tried to call you after I saw your battle with Black Adam."

"Black Adam?" Billy asked. "Is that what they're calling him?"

"Yes. Someone recorded you saying Adam's name, but the media couldn't just call him Adam; that didn't have enough _punch_ to it, so they called him Black Adam because of his costume. Anyway, I got worried when you didn't answer your phone, and when I called Theo he said that you weren't home, so I figured out that something had happened. It was guesswork trying to figure out where you would be, but you told me that you first found the wizard at the subway station near Ebenezer's house. When I looked in the subway this morning, you weren't there, so I looked at the area around it, and it was not hard for me to figure out which restaurant you would go to."

"Maybe it wasn't," Billy said. "But aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"I am supposed to be in school," replied Fred in a tone of mock anger. "But you must not think very highly of me to assume that I would choose my teachers over my friends."

"I never thought that you would," Billy said with a laugh.

"Now it's your turn," Fred said. "Tell me what brought you here."

"Shazam is dead," Billy said sorrowfully. "Black Adam killed him."

"You can say his name?"

"Yes. I don't have my powers, and now there is nothing that can stop Black Adam."

Billy then explained everything that had happened. He described who Black Adam really was, both as Theo A. Templeton and Teth-Adam of Kahndaq. He also described the battle he fought with Adam, and the wizard's anger at him for abusing his powers. He explained about the Historama, the statues of the Seven Deadly Sins, and the Rock of Eternity itself. It gave him some small relief to tell Fred everything, which he wanted to do but did not have time for. However, telling all of this to Fred made Billy feel even more guilty for failing Shazam, who had trusted him with one of the most important tasks imaginable, which Billy had completely failed at.

After Billy had finished the narration, Fred asked, "Is there any way to stop Adam?"

Billy answered, "Only if we can catch him while he is Theo. But I'm willing to bet everything I have left that he's canceled all his classes and office hours for the next few days, and if he hasn't, he's prepared for an attack and will turn into Black Adam the moment he senses danger. And even if we could find Theo, neither of us would be a match for him."

"Are you ready to leave?" Fred asked.

"Leave?"

"Yes. Come on, Billy. You can't stay here forever. My grandfather is out of town all week, so we'll have the house all to ourselves."

"I'm sorry," Billy said. "I can't go with you; Adam would find me."

"I don't think that matters. If Adam has the Historama, he could have found you here. _I _found you, and I don't have supernatural powers or the Historama. He could have found you if he wanted to, so I think that the only reason you are alive is that he thinks you aren't worth killing."

"Or maybe he's showing me mercy," Billy said, depressed by the idea that he was now so insignificant that Adam didn't care whether he lived or died.

"Actually, I think he isn't," Fred replied. "Adam can't stand it that somebody else had powers equal to him, so he hates you for being Shazam's chosen. I think that he knows he could kill you, but he would rather torment you by letting you live to think about how he is supposedly superior. If Adam comes for you, I don't think it will make any difference whether you're at my house or here, but at least, if you're at my house, no street thug is going to attack you just to get the money for his next fix."

While Billy was disturbed by Fred's words, in some ways he appreciated them. Fred never hid from the hard facts of life, and was not afraid to mention the unpleasant elements of reality, which Billy admired in him. It was difficult to refute Fred's logic, but Billy hated putting his friend in danger, so he said, "Are you sure about this? If Adam comes after me, he might kill you too."

"I know the risks, Billy," Fred answered. "And I also know that I have to do this. Come on, Billy, we're wasting time."

Reluctantly, Billy followed Fred out of the café and got into the car with him.

The Freeman house was a modest two-story affair, but it had still cost a small fortune because it was in New York City. But Fred's grandfather was well-paid and had saved his money wisely, so Fred had always lived comfortably. Fred owned an Xbox 360, a Wii, and a PlayStation 3 with many of the newest video games, and Billy had always loved going over Fred's house and playing the games, which often seemed to be the only thing that he enjoyed and was good at.

But now, Billy had no interest in the games. He tried to play Super Smash Bros. Brawl with Fred, but he kept getting KO'd and gave up after a few matches. He had no interest in video games at this time.

Fred went to school on Tuesday, and could not convince Billy to go with him. After Fred returned home that afternoon, he went to the TV and turned on the news.

"I heard that the Mayor is going to speak today. Look, here he is," Fred told Billy.

Mayor Joseph Jenkins was saying, "Our city is now threatened by an enemy unlike any we have known before. Black Adam and Captain Marvel have not been sighted since their battle last Sunday, but I will not lie to you. Black Adam could be back. We do not know what he wants, but he is not invulnerable. Footage of the battle last Sunday clearly shows that Captain Marvel can hurt Black Adam. We will…"

The Mayor suddenly stopped speaking, and Black Adam glided into the camera's field of view. Adam reached out suddenly, grabbing the terrified mayor by the throat. Police officers aimed their guns at Adam, but they did not shoot, to avoid hitting the Mayor.

"Nobody can stand against me," Adam said. "Tomorrow I shall know who I truly am, and then, I will take back what is rightfully mine, and anyone who stops me will share _his_ fate."

With a contemptuous flick of his wrist, Adam snapped the Mayor's neck, and tossed the body in front of the TV camera. Police officers started shooting at Adam, but the bullets bounced off him, and he slammed his fist into the podium where the Mayor had been speaking. Cracks spread through the ground as Adam's blow created a tremor that knocked the policemen off their feet. Adam shot up into the air, not even looking at the police officers who had just tried to kill him. They were beneath his notice.

"The exhibition," Billy said in a shaky tone as he turned off the TV. "He's going to be there, and Tamara will…"

"She's still interested," Fred told Billy. "I heard her talking about it today."

"Dr. Sivana," Billy said as a sudden idea came to him. "If I explain everything to him, maybe he'll cancel the exhibition."

"Can you even reach him?" Fred asked skeptically.

"My parents worked for him," Billy said. "Maybe he'll listen to me."

Billy looked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's website, and saw that just as he had feared, the jars containing Teth-Adam's internal organs were also going to be shown along with the sarcophagus. The website explained that Egyptian mummies were embalmed separately from their internal organs – including the heart – all of which were placed in sealed jars.

Billy then dialed the number for the Sivana Foundation, using Fred's home phone because his own cell phone had been destroyed by Black Adam.

"Sivana Foundation," the female receptionist said in a helpful tone.

"I'd like to speak with Dr. Thaddeus Sivana"

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No, but it's urgent. It concerns the exhibition tomorrow."

"I'm sorry, but Dr. Sivana is a very busy man. If you'd like to make an appointment—"

"There's no time," Billy said. "Just tell him that it's the son of C.C. and Marilyn Batson."

"Hold on a moment," the receptionist said in a patient, polite tone which clearly showed that she believed Billy had no chance of talking to Dr. Sivana.

After listening to several minutes of bad music while waiting on hold, Billy finally heard a human voice on the other end of the line.

"Billy?" Dr. Sivana asked.

"Yes, that's me. I'm Billy Batson, C.C and Marilyn's son."

"You owe me two thousand dollars."

"I… do?" Billy asked in complete puzzlement.

"When you were four, your parents brought you into my office and you smashed a valuable vase."

Billy knew that Dr. Sivana was an eccentric scientist and an extreme perfectionist, but he did not expect that Sivana would be so concerned with something that happened when Billy was only four. He didn't even remember breaking the vase, although he did vaguely recall being punished for it.

"There's something much more important. Teth-Adam has come back to life. He and Black Adam are the same person, and he's going to attack your exhibition tomorrow."

Billy explained almost everything he knew about Teth-Adam, but he still did not mention that he was Captain Marvel. When he was done, Dr. Sivana said, "Very interesting, Billy, but there are many possible scientific explanations as to why Captain Marvel and Black Adam can do the things that they do. Magic and the existence of divine beings simply have no basis in scientific fact and established theory. I have worked too hard for this, and I will not give up now, even if the mayor _is_ dead."

Billy despondently hung up the phone, and then called Tamara, telling her everything that he had told Dr. Sivana. It was good to hear her voice on the other end of the line, but she politely listened to him and refused to change her mind about attending the exhibit. It wasn't until after the call was over that Billy realized that the threat of Black Adam might make Tamara even more interested in attending the exhibit. He knew that she was in love with Captain Marvel, and she was fascinated with the supernatural. Maybe she believed Billy, but she still wanted to be at the exhibition because it would be her best chance to see Captain Marvel again.

Billy's worry about what would happen only increased as the exhibition drew closer. While Fred went to school, Billy sat despondently on the couch, desperately trying to summon Shazam's powers.

Ten minutes before the exhibition, Fred and Billy were sitting on the Freemans' couch, and Billy said, "Shazam! SHAZAM!" for what he thought was the five hundredth time today.

"There must be some other way you can get your powers back," Fred pressed Billy. "If there's ever a time when you needed them, it's now."

"I don't have a direct connection to the gods," Billy protested. "And I can't give myself powers. I am not Shazam."

"And why do you want your powers back?" Fred asked Billy.

"To stop Adam," Billy answered automatically.

"But why did you want them in the first place?" Fred demanded. "Was it really so you could save other people, or just so you could be someone important? So you could be strong rather than weak, and actually _do_ something with your life rather than relying on others?"

"That's not true and you know it. How can you say that to me? You're supposed to be my best friend, but really, you can't stand it that I was more powerful than you," Billy said furiously

"Maybe," Fred answered. "And maybe you couldn't stand it that I had more success in the world than you did, and you wanted to be Captain Marvel so you could do all of the things that I could. Face it, Billy: You may not have realized it yourself, but the real reason you accepted Shazam's power is that you wanted to be someone important. But why do you want the power back? You already know that you can't use it to advance yourself in life, so why bother with it now?"

"Tamara," Billy said, his anger ebbing as he realized that maybe Fred was right. "I want to save her. She's in danger because I failed to defeat Black Adam. I failed Shazam—"

The sudden crack of thunder split the air, and debris fell from the roof of Fred's house. Billy was gone, replaced by Captain Marvel, his trademark grin spreading across his face.

"Go get em', Cap!" Fred cried joyously.

"Will do," Billy said and ran towards the front door with the Speed of Mercury, not trying to figure out _why_ he had his powers back.

Tamara was in the crowd that was gathered in the Egyptian section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to watch the unveiling of the Teth-Adam exhibit. She watched the bald, elderly Dr. Sivana personally pull back the curtain, revealing Teth-Adam's open sarcophagus. The dead Kahndaqi prince lay exactly as he was buried, aside from the absence of the Scarab. Clay jars containing Adam's internal organs were lined up on a nearby shelf.

"Shazam!" Theo Templeton cried from within the crowd.

The lightning bolt blasted a hole in the museum's ceiling, and Black Adam stood where Theo had once been. He flew towards Dr. Sivana, and gently pushed him against the wall.

"Which one contains the heart?" Adam demanded.

Sivana feebly pointed to one of the clay jars that were arranged on a shelf near the sarcophagus. The crowd was starting to panic, and Tamara was pushed into a corner by a fleeing group of camera-toting tourists. Adam dropped Sivana and snatched the jar, opening it with a single motion of his mighty hands. With a furious expression upon his face, Adam hurled the jar to the floor. It shattered, revealing that it contained no mummified organs.

Adam grabbed Dr. Sivana, yelling, "What have you done with it? Where is my—Teth-Adam's heart?"

"It's at my laboratory," Sivana said in a terrified tone. "The jar was too fragile, so I sent a replica. I—"

Adam furiously said, "If I can't have my heart, then I'll have yours!"

He reached into Sivana's chest, and Tamara involuntarily turned away from the gory spectacle. She tried to leave the exhibit, but Adam chose that moment to hurl Sivana's lifeless body into the crowd, provoking a total panic. Fleeing museum patrons knocked Tamara to the floor, and Adam began a furious rampage, tossing people aside and throwing them through walls.

He flew towards Tamara, who pressed herself against a wall, her heart pounding uncontrollably with terror.

"I've seen you before," Adam said. "You're one of Billy Batson's friends, aren't you?"

"I… I don't know what you're talking about," Tamara said in a terrified tone.

"He always cared about you," Adam said. "And then he dared to challenge me. I will make him suffer. I will make him know what it means to anger me, the strongest man in the world."

_At least the other people had a chance to escape,_ Tamara thought just before Adam threw her towards a wall. She realized something else, just before the wall exploded behind her. Before Tamara went through the new hole in the wall, Captain Marvel caught her in his arms, carrying her out of the exhibit as Black Adam lunged for them.

As Captain Marvel, Billy carried Tamara into another room of the Egyptian Art section, as Adam flew straight for them. Billy shot upward, barely dodging Adam, who crashed through four display cases, destroying their precious contents. Tamara held onto Billy with a grip so strong it would have hurt him if he was not Captain Marvel. There was one thing on his mind: Getting Tamara away from him.

Adam shot towards Billy, who punched him with his free hand. Adam flew backwards, crashing into a statue of Anubis, which shattered from the impact. Billy took advantage of the opportunity and flew with Tamara into a side room, placing her on her feet.

"Go!" Billy said. "I'll deal with Adam, just get out of here before he comes back!"

Billy saw Adam flying toward him, and without waiting for Tamara to respond, he flew through the doorway, and slammed into Adam, carrying him through the Egyptian section of the museum, feeling priceless works of art shatter as he and Adam crashed through walls and display cases in a blinding spray of dust and debris.

As they burst out of the Egyptian Art section and entered the museum lobby, Adam flung Billy off him, and Billy struck the floor in front of the reception desk, tearing a long groove in the floor as he slid across it. People screamed and rushed out of the way. The museum was not fully evacuated, and Billy was afraid that more innocent people might be hurt if they continued fighting here.

Adam shot towards Billy, who grabbed him and threw him at the wall. Adam burst through the façade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a spray of debris, landing on the roof of a moving car and causing it to topple over. Adam stood up in the middle of Fifth Avenue, and casually kicked an SUV just to get it out of his way. The vehicle spun out of control and crashed into the side of the museum, and then Billy burst through the façade himself, seeing the damage that Adam had wrought.

Billy flew out onto the street, and grabbed Adam, carrying him up into the sky and away from the traffic on Fifth Avenue. They wrestled in the air, with the buildings of New York City flashing by, and then Adam was holding Billy at arm's length. He hurled Billy into an office building. A window shattered instantly when Billy slammed into the building, and Billy crashed through walls, cubicles, and desks with incredible speed, barely seeing where he was going. He heard a scream of pain as he crashed into one office worker, and then he crashed through a window on the opposite side of the building from where he entered, and he was plummeting rapidly toward a busy street.

Billy regained control of his flight just before he would have crashed, and then Adam slammed into him from above, like a missile. Again Billy saw a blur of debris and broken glass as Adam pushed him through a series of shops. Billy heard a veritable chorus of terrified screams, and desperately hoped that no one had actually been hurt, although he doubted that. As they flew over another street, Billy punched Adam in the head, sending the other champion flying up into the air.

Billy shot upwards, waiting for Adam to come down, but then he saw Adam hovering above a high-rise apartment building, with a bloody gash on one cheek due to Billy's last blow. Billy made up his mind that he would try to take this fight away from populated areas. He rose into the sky, angling himself towards Central Park, where he hoped there would be less danger of accidentally hurting innocent bystanders.

"How can you still have your powers?" Adam demanded furiously.

"If you want to find out, catch me!" Billy cried, almost shocked by his own cheerful tone, which was made possible by the Courage of Achilles.

Billy flew out over Central Park, and Adam pursued him. Flying at terrifying speed over the green rectangle of Central Park, Billy was caught by surprise when Adam slammed into him at incredible speed, hurling him downwards. Billy narrowly avoided a collision with the ground, and then his momentum carried him out over 59th Street. He flew between buildings, barely avoiding collisions. He rose into the sky, near a futuristic-looking 46-story skyscraper with an exterior of blue glass windows, held together by white steel beams in a pattern of interlocking triangles. The Wisdom of Solomon told him that this was the Hearst Tower.

Adam flew towards Billy, and the two champions circled each other in the air. Billy could see the gash on Adam's cheek starting to fade, and the spilled blood from the cut flowing back into Adam's body. He noticed that his own injuries from the battle were also healing rapidly.

"We're not invulnerable," Adam said as he flew toward the Hearst Building. "But we could still be at this for hours before one of us falls. How many innocent people will be hurt along the way? Why not give up before it's too late?"

As Adam ripped a steel beam off the Hearst Tower and turned towards Billy, wielding it like an oversized club, Billy thought that he could not win unless he could trick Adam into turning back into Theo. And then, something occurred to him.

As Adam flew towards Billy, the superhero did the one thing his foe would not have expected.

"Shazam!"

The lightning bolt crashed into Billy from above, and for a moment he thought he was falling as he desperately tried to turn back its effects. At first, it seemed like it wasn't going to work, as his right arm and left leg turned into back into Billy Batson's own weak limbs. But then he got control of the lightning, and he was all Captain Marvel. Billy held the thunderbolt of Zeus in his right hand, as Adam was flying straight at him.

"Speak no more!" Billy yelled, hurling the lightning bolt just before Adam would have crashed into him. The bolt hurled Adam backwards, slamming him into the Hearst Building in a brilliant spray of light and glass. Billy hovered in front of the building, but Adam did not come out.

A triumphant grin spread across the face of Captain Marvel. He had beaten his foe, the man who had murdered his parents and kidnapped his sister. At last, they were avenged.


	9. Chapter 9

_Epilogue_

Somehow, Billy was not surprised to see Shazam still sitting on his throne, a new stone block suspended over his head, as if nothing had happened.

"How did you—" Billy asked.

Shazam smiled and said, "I have lived for five thousand years, and in that time, many people have wanted to kill me. If I had made my continued survival dependent on my physical body, I probably would not be here now. I knew Adam would come here. I knew he would want to destroy me, and I knew that someone so violent as him would believe that I was truly gone once the stone block fell on me."

"Why didn't my powers work?" Billy asked. "Were you really dead?"

"No," Shazam answered. "I merely took your powers away, and placed them in the hands of the gods. You see, the gods would not let me fight Adam, because of their own laws. And that also included choosing a champion to defeat him for me. So in order to fulfill your destiny, you had to defeat Teth-Adam. Not me, you. I had to give you a chance to prove that you were worthy of your powers, and then the gods could use a loophole in their ancient laws to give you your powers back. For they wanted to stop Adam as much as I did, but they could not intervene directly or work through me."

"So they chose you as their agent. They wanted you to defeat Adam, but first you had to prove that you were worthy of their powers. I knew you would make mistakes with your powers, but I also knew you would learn from them. You are strong, Billy, stronger than you know. You've had a very hard life, but you have still grown into the fine young man that you are now, despite everything you have suffered. There are many trials still ahead for you, as Adam is only the beginning of what is to come, but I have every confidence that I have chosen the right person."

"You know, we're not so different, you and I. I was once like you, a shepherd boy in Canaan, who seemed weak and unimportant and had no idea of what he would become. Now I am the Keeper of the Rock of Eternity, but it is you, not me, who will fight the coming darkness. If ever there was anyone worthy to be a champion of the gods, it is you, William Joseph Batson. I may have given you the power that you used to defeat to defeat Adam, but I did not tell you how to get it back, and I did not tell you that the thunderbolt of Zeus could be used as a weapon. You figured all of that out for yourself."

This time, there was nothing disturbing or threatening about Shazam using Billy's full name. Billy felt proud to be Captain Marvel, the champion of the gods, but he had learned a lesson. He understood the responsibility of his powers, and now, more than ever, he knew what he was, and he knew what he needed to do.

"Do you know where Mary is?" he asked the old wizard.

"I do not," Shazam answered. "And Adam wiped out all memory of her from the Historama. If you are going to find her, you'll have to do it yourself."

Billy had wanted to arrange this meeting, but Tamara had contacted him first, as she seemed to have the same idea. They stood together in Tamara's backyard, alone as the sun was setting. The romantic setting gave Billy some doubts about what he was going to do, but he knew what he had to say.

To his surprise, Tamara said, "Well, Lauren saw you run away from us just before Captain Marvel appeared last Sunday. She seems to think you're Captain Marvel. But don't worry; your secret is safe with her. And with Jessica. And, you know I would never tell anyone about you."

"I'm not Captain Marvel."

"If you want me to believe that, just say one word."

"What word?" Billy asked, fearing that he already knew the answer.

"Shazam. Just say it."

"That's absurd. It's not even a word. Why should I say that?"

"Because I think it's the trigger to activate the powers you and Adam have. I heard him say it when he transformed at the museum, and I just know you're Captain Marvel. It's not a coincidence that when I didn't listen to you about Calvin, Captain Marvel showed up and told me to listen to you. Then, you turned into Captain Marvel at the IMA's, and you disappeared from school after Captain Marvel's battle with Black Adam. And you tried to warn me about the exhibit, and at the exhibit itself, Black Adam himself seemed to know that there was some connection between Captain Marvel and Billy Batson. Just say that one word."

_She already knows, and I could use the Courage of Achilles right now, _Billy thought. "I think you might want to step back."

"Shazam!"

Billy controlled the lightning bolt, with the new ability he had learned while fighting Black Adam, so it would not be too visible. He disappeared and was replaced by Captain Marvel.

In the strong, confident voice of Captain Marvel, Billy said, "So now you know who I am. And now I must tell you that I am leaving. I do not know how long I will be gone, but I need to find my sister. Mary is out there somewhere, and she might need my help."

"I'll wait for you," Tamara pleaded. "Not just for Captain Marvel, for Billy Batson. I used to think Calvin was the ideal of what I wanted, but after you showed me what he really was, I started thinking about it. And when I thought Adam was about to kill me, I realized that what I was really looking for was right in front of me. It was you, Billy Batson. Not Captain Marvel, and not some spoiled rich kid."

"I have to go, Tamara," Billy said in a somber tone uncharacteristic of Captain Marvel. "I may be nearly invulnerable in this form, but you are not. Adam went after you because of me, and others may do the same. I can't afford any distractions, and I have chosen this path, which must take me away from you."

Billy shot up into the sky, leaving Tamara staring into the distance, watching as Billy grew smaller and smaller with every second, disappearing into the sky.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I always imagined this story as a movie, and if it was a movie, I think that "Walk" by Foo Fighters and "Frost Giant Battle" from the Thor soundtrack would be great music for the ending credits. Both of these songs are available on YouTube. And, the chapter after this one would be a post-credits scene if this was a movie.


	10. Chapter 10

Theo Templeton lay in a hospital bed. His lips moved to form the word that would turn him back into Teth-Adam, but the only sound that he heard was the monotonous beeping of the machines connected to him.

"You have a visitor," the nurse told him, and then left the room.

A young woman with flame-red hair, whose eyes were concealed by sunglasses, entered the hospital room, sitting in chair next to Theo's bed.

"I wonder if they will figure out that you're not just another innocent victim of Captain Marvel's battle with Black Adam?" the woman said.

Adam's lips moved, but no sound came forth.

"Captain Marvel got your tongue? Well, you might be wondering how I know so much about you. I will tell you this: My name is Angelica Blaze, and I am here to tell you that you have fulfilled your purpose. Thanks to you, the old wizard has planted the seeds of his own downfall," answered the visitor.


End file.
